


The Chance of Love

by b_blueberry



Series: Bleeding Love [2]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Dwalin & Thorin Oakenshield Friendship, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post Mpreg, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-25
Updated: 2015-07-23
Packaged: 2018-02-10 09:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 61,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2019501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/b_blueberry/pseuds/b_blueberry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Can the love of a lifetime find a second chance?</p><p> </p><p>  <em>Sequel to: The Miracle of Love.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A big 'thank you' to [Chamelaucium](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Chamelaucium), who helped with this chapter.

Bilbo knew he was late. He promised to pick up his son at two, but he had to stay longer at work and now it was almost three. Thorin offered, actually offered to watch him for a few hours while he was at work and Bilbo, knowing how little time his son got to spend with his other father, agreed. He knew there was a big chance that Thorin just left him with Fíli and Kíli or their maid, but he was hoping that won’t be the case. He knew how much his son missed Thorin and how much he wanted to spend time with him, but Thorin has moved on. He was going to college now and during the week he lived on campus and the weekend he spent with his girlfriend. No, this wasn’t a mistake. His ex-boyfriend and the father of his child now had a girlfriend.

Bilbo didn’t know the details since he and Thorin rarely spoke to each other, but he knew from Fíli and Kíli that things were serious between them. No matter how difficult it was for him to admit it, Thorin looked happy and in love. He even smiled and laughed with her. Something he hasn’t done with him since Theo was born. He didn’t imagine things will get better between them anymore. As Thorin told him: things were over between them and they were over for good. At the beginning was hard and he has done some stupid things to get Thorin’s attention. But that was all before he realized that someone needed him and will need him for quite some time, and Bilbo couldn’t afford to be selfish.

When he finally arrived at the house he was completely out of breath. He ran from the grocery store where he worked all the way to Thorin’s house. Noticing how many cars were parked in front of the house Bilbo didn’t need to ask why Thorin was so willing to watch Theo for a few hours, it all made perfect sense. He didn’t want to interrupt their guests so Bilbo decided to enter the house through the back door. It was easier this way. He would ask for his son and then leave, and not have to deal with nosy relatives and their judging looks. He didn’t even had time to change so he was still wearing his work clothes and the thought of meeting Thorin’s relatives dressed like that wasn’t so appealing.

But as luck would have it he ran into Thráin.

“Sir,” he greeted.

“Bilbo,” smiled Thráin, knowing it would make him uncomfortable. “What an honor to greet us with your presence. You look tired. Don’t tell me you had to work all day?”

Bilbo decided to ignore Thráin’s provocative question. “I just came for my son, so if you could ask someone to bring him I’ll be on my way.”

Thráin thought about it for a second. “You know, my grandson is having so much fun right now, it would pain me to allow you to take him. Why don’t you join us?”

Again with that smile, thought Bilbo, and before he knew it he was led by Thráin to the living room where the whole family was gathered. As Thráin sat down, Bilbo was left standing there with all eyes on him. The first thing he noticed was his son, who was not wearing the same clothes in which he left him this morning. Kíli was sitting on the floor next to him, keeping him occupied while other’s talked.

“Why don’t you sit down,” offered Thráin and showed him the empty space across from Thorin and his girlfriend Dana who were cuddling on the couch.

“I just came for my son, I wasn’t planning on staying.”

“Clearly,” muttered Thráin but still waited until Bilbo sat down.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence until, what Bilbo assumed was Fundin’s wife, decided to break it. “You have a beautiful son. I can see a lot of you and him. And Thorin, of course,” she added and smiled at her nephew.

“You were working?” asked her husband, but before Bilbo could open his mouth Thráin answered for him.

“He works at the local grocery store.”

If Thráin was expecting a shock of surprise from his guests, that didn’t happen.

Fundin looked positively surprised. “I think that’s a very good thing to do. I can imagine that you have a lot of things to do for school and if I understood correctly you are also taking care of your son, and on top of that you are working to help pay the bills. You are doing an admirable job young man.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s nice that you’ve found a summer job,” commented Fundin’s wife, even though summer was still few months away.

“It’s not a summer job,” corrected Thráin. “He works there full time.”

“What about school and college?” Fundin asked.

“He sent eight applications and all of them were rejected.” Thráin smiled at Bilbo. “Go on, tell them.”

Bilbo didn’t even want to know how Thráin knew all that, but it still hurt when it was pointed out to him. Everything he said was true. He sent eight college applications and all of them were rejected. He picked the colleges close to home so that his son wouldn’t be affected, but since he didn’t get in he knew he will be affected one way or another.

“It’s true,” he confirmed. “I didn’t get in.” When the first letter came he wasn’t even sad or surprised. At the forth one he knew it wasn’t looking good. And when the last finally came he didn’t even ask, his mother’s look told him everything. “I’m not able to afford it without a scholarship and every school didn’t find me as the right person to receive one.” No one said it, but they all knew that the little boy playing happily in the middle of the living room was the cause. And Bilbo wasn’t able to be angry at him. Theo meant everything to him and to tell the truth he expected something like this.

“As for school: I’m not going because I work during the day and when I get home I have to take care of my son. It’s not enough to pay for college but it’s enough to pay for Theo’s daycare and everything he needs. I’m doing my best to finish high-school with exams.”

Once again the room fell into and uncomfortable silence and Bilbo didn’t know who was more embarrassed. Him or the guests.

“You can always try applying next year,” tried to encourage him Fundin’s wife.

“I don’t think the result would be much different,” answered Bilbo truthfully and stood up. Thráin got exactly what he wanted from him and now it was time to leave. “It was nice meeting you all,” he said before he picked Theo up and took the last Lego brick from his hand. Theo made a noise of protest when Bilbo gave the brick to Kíli and asked for his bag.

Surprisingly his son didn’t start crying when he was taken away from the toys, but Bilbo knew he was far from happy about it and that his son will be difficult for the rest of the day because of that.

“Did you have fun with daddy?” he asked as he made his way upstairs. Of course they had to leave his bag in Thorin’s room, so he had no other choice but get it himself.

“No,” answered Theo in his neck.

“No? Were you having fun with Kíli?” Bilbo asked and felt Theo nod at his question. “We’ll get you changed and then go home and we can play with your toys there.”

“Not the same,” protested Theo.

Bilbo knew that at home he didn’t have nearly as much toys as he had here, but there was nothing he could do about it. He didn’t have enough money to buy him so many toys. While, every time he came to Thorin his son had more toys to play with.

“I’m sure we’ll find something to play with,” assured him Bilbo and opened Thorin’s bedroom door.

In general the room still looked the same, but at the same time very different. Two years ago his stuff were mixed with Thorin’s, now all the extra stuff belonged to his girlfriend. It took some time before Thorin admitted his feelings for her but Bilbo should have known better. Dana was in his class, and she was the one that gave Thorin her books so that Bilbo could study. And slowly they fell in love. Well she did, and with Thorin being angry at Bilbo she didn’t have to do much to woo him.

Bilbo shook his head. He needed to stop thinking about what happened in the past. He closed the doors and made his way to the bed where Theo’s bag was waiting. He put his son on the bed and emptied his pockets in the bag and pulled out Theo’s clothes, the ones that he brought him here this morning.

As expected Theo wasn’t in his most cooperative mood and he had a lot of trouble changing his clothes because his son loved rolling on Thorin’s bed. Everyone apparently loved Thorin’s bed, and Bilbo was no exception. When he and Thorin were together he spent many nights in this bed sleeping and doing some other things as well. But being in Thorin’s bed wasn’t as distant memory as one would have thought…

.:.:.:.:.:.

It was Theo’s birthday and Bilbo agreed to spend the afternoon at Thorin’s house so that his son could see both of his parents. There was cake and a lot of presents and Theo was bursting with energy. But the day was long and excited and when he fell asleep it was time to say goodbye and Bilbo took him home. It was only when they got back that Bilbo realized they had forgotten his favorite toy, and as on cue Theo woke up and refused to go to bed without it, so Bilbo had no other choice but to head back for the toy. His mother promised to watch Theo while he was gone, and he promise to return soon.

It didn’t take long for him to arrive at the house. He planned to find the toy and then leave, what he didn’t expect was to find Thorin in the living room, nursing his glass of scotch.

Bilbo sighed and sat down next to Thorin. “Bad day?” he asked.

“Bad week,” admitted Thorin before taking a sip. “She’s even more annoying than you were.”

Bilbo rolled his eyes and accepted the offered glass. He never liked scotch but he still took a sip. “Thanks,” he muttered.

“I really don’t know what her problem is,” continued Thorin. “I told her I have things to do and that I can’t come to that stupid party of hers and now she’s ignoring me.”

“Was her party today?” asked Bilbo when Thorin empted the glass and then reached for the bottle to refill it.

“Yup.”

“You should have told her it was Theo’s birthday. I’m sure she would understand.”

Thorin shook his head. “She wouldn’t. She hates you and Theodore. The only reason she stands you it’s because then she can bully me into going to one of her stupid parties and show me off to her friends. I’m not a dog, Bilbo!”

“I’m glad we established that,” said Bilbo and took the glass from Thorin. “Cheers,” he said before he drank the golden liquid.

Thorin rested his head on Bilbo’s shoulder as he drank from the bottle. “I mean who hates Theodore? He’s such a beautiful child. You, on the other hand. I can understand how she can hate you. You are easy to hate, but not Theodore.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” muttered Bilbo.

“Don’t. No one should hate you, you are perfect.” Thorin hiccupped before drinking some more. “But you broke my heart… No one is allowed to break my heart. But Gods know I still love you. I will always love you.”

Bilbo didn’t know what to say. Thorin was drunk, that much was clear. But he told him he loved him, and Bilbo wanted to say it back, but he knew that would only hurt him. He will start hoping again that Thorin would notice him, but he knew that won’t happen. He had a feeling where this was going. It wouldn’t be their first slip since they broke up, and Bilbo was sure that certainly wasn’t the last.

“Thorin,” he said just above whisper when Thorin leaned in to kiss him. He breath smelled of alcohol, but Bilbo didn’t mind. “I don’t want to be your one night stand.”

“You never were, never will be. My heart is yours forever.”

It was Bilbo who sealed the gap between them, their lips meeting for a kiss that they’ve been denied for too long. Bilbo wanted all Thorin had to offer and Thorin was willing to give. He knew it wasn’t his but he would take it. He stole Thorin’s heart, and he was too selfish to ever give it back.

When he woke up it was already dawn. He was in bed with Thorin, tangled in the sheets. He didn’t even remember how they got here but it didn’t matter. He had Thorin for a few hours and now it was time to let him go. He carefully untangled himself from the sheets, got dressed, took the toy and headed home.

This was as close to a walk of shame he would ever experience. It was embarrassing to walk back home in yesterday’s clothes, with bird’s nest for hair, and the lovely feeling of Thorin on him. He completely forgot about the promise he made to his son to come back soon, and he only hoped he fell asleep without his toy.

You went for the toy, but what you got was Thorin, he thought as he tried to sneak into the house without waking anyone up. Unfortunately his mother was already awake and he gave him a pointed glare when he closed the doors behind him.

“I hope you had a great time,” she told him. There was no point of denying it, they both knew what he was doing, or better said who was doing him, last night.

“I’m sorry, I never meant to stay that long.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me,” told him Belladonna and Bilbo could hear disappointment in her tone. “I think there is someone else you need to apologize. Someone who waited for you to come back, while you were having… _fun._ ”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t-“

She raised her hand to silence him. “I don’t even want to hear it, Bilbo. We’ve been over this four times already and I thought you have learned something by now, but clearly that isn’t the case.”

“He told me he loved me.”

“Good for you.”

“I believed him.”

Belladonna let out a sigh. “Sweetheart-“

“I know what you are going to say, mum, but I believed him. He’ll never act on those feelings, I’ve learned that, but I know that he loves me. And I love him, too.”

.:.:.:.:.:.

“Papa?” called Theo and Bilbo finally came back to reality.

“I’m okay, sweetheart,” assured him Bilbo and pressed a kiss to his head. “Stay here. I’m just going to use the bathroom and then we can go.”

Theo nodded and watched his father go. A few seconds later it was Thorin who came in, looking for both.

“Daddy!”

“Hey buddy,” smiled Thorin and pressed a kiss to Theo’s head as he sat down on the bed next to him. “Where’s Bilbo?”

Theo pointed at the bathroom door before crawling to the bag. Thorin watched him with a smile playing on this lips until he pulled out a pacifier and offered it to him. Thorin was never fond of licking things that would go in his son’s mouth, while Bilbo had no problem with that.

“I’m sorry I used your bathroom without asking first,” said Bilbo before accepting the offered pacifier, licking it and giving it back to his son.

“You don’t have to ask,” told him Thorin and watched him fold Theo’s clothes.

Theo continued to suck the pacifier while his parents talked.

“Here,” Bilbo offered the folded clothes to Thorin. “You know where this goes.”

“You can keep them. They were bought for Theodore anyway.”

Bilbo turned to put the clothes in the bag but froze when he was what his son was holding. He didn’t even notice him going through the bag and now he pulled out what he hoped would remain hidden, at least from Thorin. On top of everything, Theo decided to shake the box, and that caught Thorin’s attention.

“What-“

Bilbo snatched the box from his son and put it in the bag. “It’s nothing.”

“That’s not nothing!” Thorin couldn’t believe this was happening again.

Bilbo put the bag over his shoulder and scooped Theo up. “We should be going-“

“You’re not going anywhere until you explain why you have a pregnancy test in your bag! Why in the world- Damn it, Bilbo! Not this again! I can’t believe it!” Thorin took a deep breath to calm down. “Why do you have it?”

“I think you know what pregnancy tests are for,” told him Bilbo dryly.

“But I mean- Are you? Are you sure?”

“It’s not for me.”

“Don’t lie to me!”

“I’m not lying to you. Now please let me through. They are waiting for me at home.”

“You are not going anywhere until you take that test,” bellowed Thorin.

Theo hid his face in Bilbo’s neck, not knowing what was going on. “I told you: it’s not mine.”

“Don’t lie to me-“

Before he was able to continue there was a knock on the door and Dana came in. “What’s going on?” she smiled. “I could hear you shouting.”

“It’s nothing,” answered Bilbo quickly as she wrapped an arm around Thorin. “I should be going anyway. It was nice seeing you.” He excused himself and left the room as quickly as he could, knowing that Thorin won’t be able to do anything while his girlfriend was around him. He wasn’t planning on telling her that they slept together.

:::

Bilbo knew nothing good will happen when he noticed Thorin’s car parked in front of his house. How he managed to come here so quickly he will never understand, but he knew that his arrival only meant the continuation of their previous conversation.

He opened the doors and put Theo down. “Go find grandma,” he whispered to him and Theo ran in, looking for his grandmother. “What are you doing here, Thorin?” sighed Bilbo and set the bag down.

“I came here to talk.”

“There is nothing to talk about,” quickly told him Bilbo. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m tired and hungry and really not in the mood to deal with you right now.”

“I want to know,” told him Thorin calmly.

“There is nothing to know!” Bilbo raised his voice.

“Don’t be a child. I know what I saw and I want to know why you have it.”

“It’s none of your business. And I’ve told you before that it’s not mine.”

“Well I’m sorry if I don’t believe you!”

“Just go!”

“I’m not going until I know for sure!”

“What’s going on here,” asked Belladonna when she joined them in the living room with her grandson in her arms.

“It’s nothing,” quickly answered Bilbo. “Thorin is being difficult as always and refuses to leave.”

Thorin rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe it. You’re acting like a child again!”

“I’m not a child. And I told you that it’s not mine!”

“Calm down, calm down. Will someone please explain to me what’s going on?”

She looked at her son but when Bilbo didn’t speak, Thorin decided to explain everything.

“We slept together. I don’t remember using protection because I was drunk. And today Bilbo showed up at my house with a pregnancy test in his bag, which he insist isn’t for him. If we are playing this game again I would like to know about it from the beginning.”

When Belladonna looked at her son Bungo and Frodo joined them in the living room. “If it’s not yours, then whose is it?”

Bilbo looked away only for a moment and Thorin almost missed it. But luckily he didn’t. Before he could say something Bilbo was already going through his bag.

“Fine! You want proof? I’ll give you proof,” he said Before he stormed upstairs to the bathroom taking the pregnancy test with him.

He came down in the same fury five minutes later and pressed the test in Thorin’s chest.

On line. Not pregnant.

Thorin let out a sigh.

“Are you happy now?”

“I’m sorry, I thought it was you-“

“Well I’m not. But thanks for telling everyone.”

“I know you are both adults,” interrupted Bungo, “But you are acting like children. I swear that Theodore behaves better than you two. How many times did I tell you not to have sex without protection, and it still happens that you come home thinking you are pregnant with him,” he said, pointing at Thorin. “You should be both ashamed of yourself. And you have a girlfriend,” he said to Thorin with shaking head. “I just can’t believe this it still happening. I thought that having a child would teach you two something, but I guess you’ll never learn. I’ll say it again, and this time it will be the last time you hear it from me. If you two don’t want more children start using condoms or stop sleeping together!”

Bilbo took Theo from his mother and headed upstairs. Thorin knew it was time to leave.

:::

“I’m coming,” called Bilbo as he lifted Theo from his high chair. His parents left the house a few minutes ago, while he was feeding his son in the kitchen, so he knew it wasn’t them.

When he opened the doors he found Thorin standing there.

“I’m sorry for what I did before.”

Bilbo let Thorin in and followed him to the living room.

“I waited for your parents to leave. Are they coming back soon?”

“Not for another hour.”

“Good,” said Thorin and gave the pharmacy bag to Bilbo.

“Thank you. Can you hold him?” he asked as he passed Theo to Thorin. “He was in the middle of his dinner so if you want you can help him finish. Just don’t allow him to throw food around.” Thorin nodded and headed into the kitchen while Bilbo went upstairs.

He knocked on the door and waited until he was called in. Frodo was sitting behind his desk reading something.

“Here,” said Bilbo and pulled the box out of the bag.

“W-Where did you get this?” asked Frodo as he snatched the box from his brother’s hand.

“Thorin brought it.”

“You told Thorin?!”

“Of course not, he figured it out. Now please take it. I’ll be downstairs.”

He left his brother in his room and headed downstairs. As expected he found Thorin with Theo in the kitchen trying to encourage him to eat another spoon.

Thorin offered Bilbo a smile when he saw him enter. “He’s got quite the appetite.”

“If he likes it,” told him Bilbo and placed a kiss on his son’s head before taking a seat next to Thorin. “If he doesn’t like he won’t eat no matter what you do. He needs to eat so that he’ll grow. Come on, one for daddy,” cooed Bilbo and Theo opened his mouth.

“I’m really sorry about what happened today.”

“It’s fine. At least we know for sure that I’m not pregnant,” told him Bilbo.

“You weren’t sure?”

Bilbo shook his head in response. “Not one hundred percent.”

“We didn’t use a condom, didn’t we?”

“Nope.”

When Thorin remained quiet Bilbo decided to speak.

“You look disappointed. Were you hoping for another child?”

“I’m not disappointed, or hoping for another child, but it’s nice to know that option is still open.”

Bilbo snorted at that. “You are in a relationship with someone else and you want me to give you another child? Is something wrong with her?”

“Nothing’s wrong with her, it’s just that the thought of having children with her makes me… I don’t know how to describe it. Let’s just say I’m happy she’s on the pill. And I don’t want another child, especially not right now. But I can’t imagine having a child with anyone who isn’t you.”

“I’m not an incubator, Thorin.”

“I know.”

“And I don’t even want to think about having another child right now, especially since my brother could be pregnant.”

“About that… How did that even happen?” asked Thorin. “Isn’t he too young to have-“

“He’s way too young,” interrupted Bilbo. “But what’s done it’s done. All I know is that they both wanted to do it.”

“But he’s too young,” insisted Thorin. “And with what happened between us, one would have thought he learned something.”

“Apparently not,” said Bilbo and wiped Theo’s mouth. “Let’s just hope it’s negative and that something like this doesn’t happen again.”

A minute later Frodo walked in.

“Moment of truth,” said Thorin and looked expectantly at Bilbo’s younger brother.

“One line,” announced Frodo and Bilbo let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“Not pregnant, thank god.” He pulled Frodo into an embrace.

“Thank you for not telling mum and dad.”

“You’re welcome. Just don’t let anything like that happen again.”

Frodo nodded at Bilbo’s words. “And thank you for bringing this,” he said to Thorin.

“Don’t mention it. Put it in a bag, I’ll throw it away so that no one finds it.”

“Okay.”

“And Frodo,” called Thorin when Frodo was about to leave. He pulled a box of condoms out of his pocket and gave them to Frodo. “If you want to have fun at least make sure it’s safe.”

Frodo turned completely red before he said ‘thank you’ and ran upstairs.

“What?” questioned Thorin when he saw Bilbo smiling at him.

“Nothing,” smiled Bilbo. “I just think you will be an excellent father. Will you do the same for our son?”

“No. I’ll kill him if he does something so stupid.”

Bilbo couldn’t help but to laugh. “Come on, you can help me change him and put him to bed. You haven’t done that in a while.”

“I was busy.”

“You are always busy,” argued Bilbo as he passed Theo over to Thorin, before they headed upstairs.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big 'thank you' to [Chamelaucium](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Chamelaucium), who helped with this chapter.  
> TW: Eating disorder

Things between Bilbo and Thorin were slowly getting better. Thorin once again started visiting and Theo quickly fell into a routine where both of his parents put him to bed.

“I still don’t get it. Why do you put him in your bed first and once he falls asleep you move him to the crib?”

“Because he doesn’t like sleeping in the crib,” Bilbo answered. Ever since he got a real bed at Thorin’s house, Theo refused to sleep in the crib. During afternoon naps Bilbo allowed him to sleep in his bed, but he couldn’t allow this during the night. He needed his bed to sleep so Theo had to sleep in his crib. But as Bilbo quickly realized, his son was as stubborn as Thorin. So instead of fighting with him he allowed him to fall asleep in his bed and later move him into the crib.

“Then get him a bed. You don’t need to get the big one. Buy a smaller one so that you can keep your desk,” suggested Thorin.

“A new bed does sound nice, but they’re very expensive.”

“They’re not that expensive,” argued Thorin. “Besides, you work almost every day, you have the money.”

Bilbo snorted at that. “I don’t know where you got that idea, but believe me when I tell you that I don’t have a lot of money. He’s having a doctor’s appointment next month and since I’m still working like a student at the grocery store I don’t have health insurance so I’ll have to pay.”

“Do you want me to pay for it?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll find the money, don’t worry.”

“It’s like you don’t even want to-“

Bilbo pressed a finger to Thorin’s lips to silence him. He pointed to Theo who was fast asleep before leading Thorin out of the room.

“I can help you, you know,” Thorin said once they were in the living room.

“He’s my son-“

“He’s my son, too. And he’s also my responsibility.”

“Yeah, I know. But if you pay for the doctor’s appointment your father will cut you off again and I don’t want that to happen. Like I said: we’ll manage.”

Before Thorin could protest Belladonna came and called them to dinner and since Thorin almost made a habit of coming every day he was invited as well.

“Would you like some more?” asked Belladonna when Bilbo finished his plate.

“No, I’m full. Thank you.”

Thorin looked skeptically at him. “For some reason I don’t believe you. If you’re doing this because of me-“

“I’m not doing this because of you. I’m full. But thank you for your concern.”

Thorin remained quiet for a minute before he couldn’t help himself. “I’m sorry, I just don’t believe you. I’ve seen you do this before and I really don’t want anything like that to happen ever again.”

“Just leave me alone,” Bilbo snarled.

“I’ve also heard that before.”

.:.:.:.:.:.

Thorin wasn’t even surprised when he heard crying when he entered Bilbo’s house. He was coming here on daily basis so there was no need for knocking. This was a part of their arrangement so that he wouldn’t wake Theo, but now there was no need to wake him up because his son was screaming at the top of his lungs.

Bilbo’s mother greeted him with a hug and a kiss so he knew something wasn’t right.

“What’s going on?”

Belladonna just shook her head. “This has been going on for over an hour,” she admitted.

“You mean the crying?”

Belladonna nodded. “Bilbo is losing his patience and he’s refusing to accept any help.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll go check what’s going on,” Thorin promised before he ran upstairs, taking two steps at the time.

He gently knocked on Bilbo’s door before entering. What he saw wasn’t looking good. Bilbo was pacing up and down the room, trying to soothe his crying son. Thorin could see that his patience was running thin. And Theo wasn’t doing much better. He continued to scream and refuse the bottle Bilbo was offering. He was probably really hungry but until Bilbo calmed down he wasn’t going to eat.

“What are you doing?” asked Thorin so that Bilbo would notice him.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Bilbo snapped. “He’s not eating. He’s crying all the time. I know he’s hungry, but he doesn’t want to eat!”

Thorin couldn’t stand hearing his son scream anymore so he crossed the distance between them and took Theo from Bilbo’s arms. Bilbo didn’t want to let him go, but he didn’t have much of a choice.

Thorin cradled his four months old son to his chest and gently rubbed his back to calm him down. But Theo apparently had enough of everything and to show how unhappy he was he continued to cry.

“You’re not doing much better than I was. Give him back!” Bilbo demanded.

Thorin turned his back to Bilbo and continued to talk with his son to calm him down.

“Give him back, please!”

“Just be quiet for a moment,” Thorin snapped at him angrily and for once Bilbo remained quiet.

Thorin pressed a kiss to his son’s head and after a minute Theo calmed down completely. He shifted him in his arms before taking the bottle from Bilbo. At first his son wasn’t happy about drinking from the bottle, but hunger got the better of him and soon he was guzzling it down.

“Why are you using a bottle to feed him?”

“It’s not mine, it’s formula,” admitted Bilbo.

“Why are you using formula?” asked Thorin, but Bilbo decided to ignore him. “Bilbo?”

“He was fed a few hours ago…”

“So what? You’ve been feeding him for the past few months and now suddenly you won’t do it anymore?”

“I don’t have enough.”

“What do you mean you don’t have enough? You can’t feed him?”

Bilbo shook his head.

“How long has this been going on?”

“A few days,” admitted Bilbo. “And he doesn’t like formula.”

“No kidding.”

“Don’t play smart here, Thorin. You have no idea how difficult he’s been for the past few days.”

“I would have been too if I didn’t get enough to eat.”

“He was never hungry,” defended Bilbo.

Thorin pressed a kiss to Theo’s head before he spoke. “Did you call the doctor, this can’t be normal?”

“Why would I call the doctor? It’s none of your business what I do!”

“It becomes my business when Theodore is involved. If you aren’t going to do it then I will.”

Once Theo was fed, changed and put back to sleep they headed downstairs. Belladonna prepared dinner and Thorin wasn’t going to refuse the opportunity to eat one of her delicious meals.

“Are you done?” she asked her son when she started picking up the plates.

“Yes, thank you,” smiled Bilbo. “It was delicious.”

“How would you know?” asked Thorin.

“Excuse me?”

“How would you know?” repeated Thorin. “Since you haven’t taken a bite from your dinner.”

Bilbo stared at Thorin with his mouth open. “Excuse me! I ate, it’s not my problem you didn’t see.”

“I saw you playing with the food, but you didn’t eat it.”

“In my opinion you didn’t eat enough,” Bungo said. “You’ll need strength to take care of the little one. Why don’t you have a few more bites.”

Bilbo knew he was trapped. Everyone in the kitchen was staring at him expecting him to eat. But he just couldn’t do it.

“This is all your fault!” he yelled at Thorin. He pushed the plate away and ran upstairs as fast as he could, knowing that Thorin would come after him.

“Bilbo! Open up!” Thorin was doing his best to remain calm, but it wasn’t easy when Bilbo locked himself in the bathroom and refused to open the door. “Can you please open the door so we can talk?”

“Go away!”

Thorin let out a sigh. Bilbo could be very difficult when he wanted to be. “Please let me in so we can talk.”

“There is nothing to talk about!”

“Apparently there is. I have a feeling this is somehow my fault and I want to fix whatever I did wrong.”

After a minute of silence the door clicked open and Bilbo let Thorin in. The moment Thorin entered Bilbo threw himself in his embrace holding him close.

“Mahal Bilbo, what have you been doing?” Thorin was able to feel how skinny Bilbo has become.

“I did this for you,” Bilbo cried.

Thorin cupped Bilbo’s cheeks and forced him to look him in the eyes. “When did I tell you to lose weight?”

“It’s been four months since Theo was born and you’ve been avoiding me like I’m some sort of plague.” He got on his toes to kiss him, but Thorin pulled him back. “You see! You’re disgusted by me. You can’t even kiss me!”

“I’m not disgusted by you.”

“Then why don’t you want to kiss me?! I told you I loved you every day and you never said it back.”

“I just can’t.”

“W-What?” spluttered Bilbo. “When I was pregnant you told me that every day, and now you can’t?”

“We were together back then, it was different.”

Bilbo’s hands fell to his side as he stumbled a few steps back. “Were?”

Thorin let out a sigh. “Were,” he confirmed.

“And when were you planning to tell me we are not together anymore?” cried Bilbo. “You just decided you don’t want to be with me and that was it?”

“It was you who told me to leave!”

Bilbo needed a moment to understand what Thorin was talking about. “That was months ago! I was angry at you because you didn’t allow me to see my baby!”

“You knew it was going to happen, you agreed to it!”

“I changed my mind!”

“Well I’m sorry for doing the thing we agreed on!”

“Then why didn’t you tell me before things were over between us? Why did you let me believe it was my fault?”

“Because I was angry!” Thorin exploded and Bilbo took a few steps back. “I knew you wanted to see the baby and I knew you were going to be angry at me, but never in a million years did I imagine you’d say that to me.” Bilbo remained silent; he knew exactly what Thorin was talking about. Thinking back his choice of words might not have been the best but there was nothing he could do now to change them. “You screamed on top of your lungs that I forced myself on you, that I abused you. That I used your trust to take Theodore away from you. That I was planning it from the beginning.”

“I never meant it,” Bilbo said, his voice just above a whisper.

“Well, you said it. And I believe half of the hospital heard you. You have no idea how the nurses looked at me when you were taken back to your room. Like I was some kind of monster. And then when you got Theodore back you acted like it never happened.”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s a little too late for that, don’t you think?”

“So you are just going to abandon us because of what I said?” asked Bilbo and wiped the tears away.

“I stayed here, didn’t I? Even when my father cut me off, I helped you where I could. No matter what happens between us or how ugly things will get, Theodore is still my responsibility and I’ll be here for him for as long as he’ll need me.”

“So every time you came here, you came because of Theo?”

“Like I said. Theodore is my responsibility, but since he spends most of the time with you, I want to make sure you are okay as well.”

.:.:.:.:.:.

“I got over it,” assured them Bilbo. “I’m eating healthier than ever. But I’m full, so thank you.”

“Are you sure?” asked his mother when she place a freshly baked pie on the table.

Bilbo’s mouth watered. “To tell you the truth, I’m not really that full. I think there’s some room for a slice. Or two.”

“You never change,” Frodo laughed.

:::

Two weeks passed before Thorin came to visit again. Bilbo was preparing dinner so he didn’t hear him enter, but he did hear Theo squeak with joy when he saw him.

“Daddy!” he called and got to his feet as fast as he could before he ran over to Thorin.

“Hi buddy,” smiled Thorin and scooped him up. “What have you got there?”

Theo proudly showed him his toy. “Truck!”

“Wow, it looks amazing.”

“Play with it,” Theo demanded and Thorin nodded in agreement.

“Hey,” Bilbo greeted when he came in from the kitchen, wiping his hand on the apron he was wearing. “I didn’t expect to see you today. What are you doing home so soon?”

“I’m almost done with my classes so I decided to come home earlier,” explained Thorin. “Besides, it’s an hour’s drive. I can always go back if I change my mind.”

“Will you join us for dinner?”

“Sure. Do you need any help?” he asked as he put Theo down.

“No, I can do it. You can stay with him,” Bilbo smiled before he returned to the kitchen.

Theo took Thorin’s hand and pulled him to the pile of toys in the middle of the living room. “Sit,” he ordered and Thorin had no other choice but to obey.

“When did you get so many toys,” wondered Thorin, but received no answer from his son. He waited until Theo found what he was looking for and brought it to him. “For me?” he asked when he was offered Duplo bricks.

“Yes.”

“Okay, thank you.”

The truck was abandoned for a few minutes as Theo continued to search for more bricks while Thorin was to build a wall, or something.

“Daddy?”

“Hm?”

“Thirsty.”

“Right,” said Thorin and stood up. “Let’s get you something to drink.” He lifted Theo and the truck up, because under no circumstances were they to leave it behind, and went to the kitchen.

“Something wrong?” Bilbo immediately asked.

“He’s thirsty,” explained Thorin and shifted Theo so that he was holding him with one arm and with the other opened the cabinet to find his sippy cup. He filled it with juice before offering it to his son. Theo opened his mouth, expecting Thorin to hold the cup for him. “You have two hands, you can do it yourself.” The problem was that Theo was clutching to his truck and thus unable to hold anything else. When he finally figured out he couldn’t hold both he gave his toy to Thorin so that he was able to drink from the cup.

“Don’t allow him to drink everything,” said Bilbo. “Otherwise he won’t eat dinner.”

Once Theo was done he quickly traded the cup back for his truck.

“I won’t take it from you, don’t worry,” said Thorin and pressed a kiss to Theo’s head.

“Papa?”

“What is it, sweetheart?” asked Bilbo and turned around to look at his son. “Oh, right. I almost forgot.”

“What’s going on?”

“Well Thorin, we wanted to ask you something. Would you like to do it, pumpkin?”

Thorin looked at his son who hid his face in his neck and shook his head.

Bilbo offered Thorin a smile. “They opened a new playground near the school, and since I’m free on Friday we wanted to ask you if you would like to go with us. I promised Theo we’ll go and I thought it would be nice if we got to spend some time together.”

The expression on Thorin’s face told Bilbo immediately that it wasn’t going to happen.

“It’s not that I wouldn’t want to go with you-“

“It’s okay, Thorin,” interrupted Bilbo. “You don’t need to explain. I just asked you if you wanted to come. I understand if you don’t have time.”

“It’s not that…”

Theo reached for Bilbo and Thorin handed him over.

“It’s all fine,” Bilbo assured him. “We’re going anyway,” he told Theo who smiled. “Would you like to try the sauce?” Theo nodded and Bilbo took a spoon of sauce and blew it to cool it down before he offered it to Theo who licked the spoon clean.

“Yummy!”

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Theo smiled and Bilbo pressed a kiss to his head.

“Prom is on Friday,” interrupted Thorin, breaking the beautiful moment between Bilbo and their son. “And I’m taking Dana.”

“Right, of course,” Bilbo said and tried to act like it didn’t bother him, but Thorin knew better.

“I thought you knew.”

“I didn’t, but thank you for telling me.”

“It’s your prom. I mean, all your classmates will be there.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“You can come too. I know no one asked you, but you can come. I’m sure you’ll find some to dance with. And if you don’t, I promise you one dance with me.”

Bilbo wanted to spit back that he didn’t need his pity, but decided to stay quiet because Theo was with them. “I promised Theo to spend the afternoon with him and I’m keeping that promise. Besides, this isn’t the first or the last thing I’ll be missing out on, now, is it.”

Thorin rolled his eyes. “It’s just prom. Not exactly the end of the world if you don’t go.”

“I’m not talking about prom, Thorin.”

They both knew what he was talking about. “You can always try applying next year.”

“You and I both know it won’t make any difference. Most of the letters I got were polite in letting me know they don’t want me at their school. But one of them was brutally honest, telling me they don’t want someone so careless and with _baggage_ at their school. You don’t realize it because you come and visit every few days but I’m not by myself anymore – Theo always comes with me, he’s my responsibility. Everything I do I have to think about how it will affect Theo first. He’s two and he needs a stable home to grow up in. He comes first, second, and third in my book. I cannot afford to be selfish.”

Thorin didn’t know what to say so he remained quiet.

Bilbo put Theo on the ground and kissed his head. “Why don’t you go play with daddy for a few minutes so I can finish dinner?”

Theo nodded in agreement before he ran back to the living room, with Thorin following close behind.

:::

After dinner Thorin offered to bathe Theo himself and who was Bilbo to deny such an opportunity. At least this time he wouldn’t be the one completely wet because Theo thought it would be fun to splash water all around.

Bilbo was doing the dishes when his mother approached him. “I overheard your conversation with Thorin earlier,” she told him and Bilbo sent her a look. They both knew she didn’t overhear it but she was eavesdropping. Belladonna rolled her eyes. “What I’m trying to say is that if you want to go to prom, your father and I can watch over Theo for a few hours. I know we told you we’re not going to raise him for you – that’s your job – but we can watch him for a few hours if you want to go.”

“Thank you, but like I told Thorin: I promised Theo that I’d spend the afternoon with him and that’s what I’m planning to do.”

“Sweetheart, you won’t be able to be always there for him, and he is only two. He won’t even remember that you promised to stay with him.”

“He won’t, but I will,” Bilbo told her. “Look, I appreciate what you are all trying to do for me but I knew what I was agreeing to. I admit that he is a really big responsibility, but he is _my_ responsibility. And even though there are days when I want to cry because I don’t see a way out, one of his smiles or when he hugs me close is enough for me to find the strength to go on. He is the best thing I have in my life and I’m not planning on letting him down.”

“Okay,” nodded his mother and offered him a warm smile. “Why don’t you go upstairs and check that the bathroom isn’t flooded and I’ll finish this up.”

Bilbo washed his hands before going upstairs. He immediately knew something was going on when he heard Theo giggling.

“Papa!”

“What are you two doing?” Bilbo asked in his serious voice with a smile playing on his lips.

Thorin had Theo on the changing table completely naked with a nappy in his hand, looking completely lost and unsure what to do.

“I really don’t know what to do,” admitted Thorin. “The last time I had to change his nappy he wasn’t moving around. Now I’m having trouble keeping him on the table.”

Bilbo sighed before he went over to help him. “Firstly,” he said and took the nappy from Thorin’s hand, “we don’t use nappies anymore. We use pull-ups because we are potty training.” He put the nappy in one of the drawers and pulled something else out.

“That’s why it looked different. I had no idea you were potty training. Really? So soon?”

“He’s two, Thorin, what did you expect?”

“Big boy!”

“Yes you are,” smiled Bilbo and ruffled Theo’s hair. “Now use a towel to make sure he’s dry down there and then pull the nappy over.”

Thorin did what he was told, but getting a nappy on his son who continued to kick, because he thought it was fun, was difficult.

“Here, let me do it,” Bilbo said and took over. He slid a pull-up on without any difficulties.

“He didn’t kick _you_ ,” Thorin complained.

“That’s because I didn’t let him,” smiled Bilbo. “You can put his pajamas on,” he offered.

To Bilbo these were the best fifteen minutes of his life. Theo was giving Thorin hell. He was doing everything he could to make it difficult for him to dress him, and Thorin, without enough experience, didn’t know what to do.

“You make it look easy,” he commented dryly when he lifted Theo up.

“I didn’t show fear,” laughed Bilbo. “Didn’t you hear? They can smell fear. Time for bed, little man,” he told Theo.

“Story.”

“How about if daddy reads you a story tonight?” he suggested.

Thorin only shook his head. “I don’t think this is such a good idea. You saw what happened when I tried to change him. Believe me when I tell you that you don’t want to see the state of the bathroom.”

“You’ll be fine,” Bilbo assured him.

They allowed Theo to pick the book he wanted before bed. Thorin found a comfortable position on Bilbo’s bed with Theo in his lap before he started reading. His father’s deep voice only needed one chapter before it managed to lure him to sleep. To Bilbo it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen: Theo peacefully sleeping against Thorin’s chest, while the latter continued to read. Bilbo couldn’t help himself taking a couple of pictures.

“He’s asleep,” he told Thorin just above whisper.

“Really?” Thorin looked at Theo who was sound asleep clutching to his shirt. “How long has he been asleep, and why didn’t you say anything?”

“It’s been only a few minutes. Besides, you both look so cute together I really didn’t want to ruin the moment.”

“Should I put him to bed?”

Thorin wrapped and arm around their son and Bilbo’s heart melted. “He can stay with you for a few more minutes. It’s not like he’ll mind,” he added with a smile.

In the end Thorin spent almost half an hour just watching Theo sleep in his arms before he decided to put him to bed.

:::

Bilbo wasn’t really excited about going to the playground with his son, but he didn’t have much of a choice. Theo was so excited about it, and Bilbo knew that his son loved to play in the sandbox. What was really bothering Bilbo was that it was right next to school. This was supposed to be his night. He was supposed to ask someone or be asked to prom. He should be dressed in a three piece suit, not in an old shirt and sweat pants because he knew there’d be sand everywhere. He should be checking his date’s dress, not making sure his son was dressed warmly enough.

He loved Theo more than anything, but there were times like this that he felt left out. Instead of going to prom he was going to spend the afternoon playing in a sandbox with his son. The worst thing was that he was going to see the others having fun – not that he wouldn’t be having fun, but this was different. This was something he needed to do, and going to a prom was something he wanted to do.

“Ready?” he asked Theo and the two-year-old nodded and accepted his hand. Bilbo knew that he’d have to carry him all the way back, together with all the toys they were dragging with them, but Theo absolutely hated prams and wouldn’t sit in one even if his life depended on it.

Theo behaved perfectly, holding Bilbo’s hand all the way to the school playground. They met a few of his schoolmates and they all greeted him politely before hurrying ahead. Bilbo knew he shouldn’t be feeling sorry for himself, he had Theo, that should be more than enough. But he wanted to have that special someone, he wanted Thorin, but Thorin was already taken. He was taking his girlfriend to the prom that night. There was no doubt that Bilbo would see him that night and that would hurt all the more.

He wondered what sacrifices others were making. He was giving everything he had to his son, because Theo always came first. He knew he wasn’t a perfect parent but since Thorin was almost never around, he was the only parent Theo had and thus he had to make up for both of them.

Theo let go of his hand the moment he saw the playground. “Be careful,” Bilbo called after him, but the two-year-old didn’t even hear him.

Bilbo followed him to the sandbox where his son was impatiently waiting to get his toys so that they could start playing. And that smile, that smile his son was wearing, so genuine and so pure, melted Bilbo’s heart completely. It made him forget everything.

“What do you want first?” he asked softly.

“Truck!”

Bilbo smiled at his son before pulling the truck out of the bag and handed it over before sitting on the edge of the sandbox. As it turned out Theo didn’t ask for anything else except for his plastic shovel so that he could load his toy truck with as much sand as possible.

Bilbo kept an eye on him so that we wouldn’t try to eat sand or that it didn’t get into his eyes, but other than that he didn’t interfere with his son’s playing except when asked to. He was so lost in his thoughts he didn’t even notice Thorin approaching them until Theo called for him.

“Daddy!” Theo ran toward Thorin, very excited to see him, only to be stopped at arm’s length.

“No you don’t,” said Thorin and stopped Theo before he could reach him. “This is a very expensive suit and you are covered with sand. Those two things don’t go together, now do they.”

Theo’s lower lip trembled before he ran back to Bilbo and threw himself into his embrace, allowing the tears to fall freely.

“Very smooth Thorin,” said Bilbo as he rubbed Theo’s back trying to calm him down.

“You know it’s true. He would have ruined my suit and then this whole night would be a disaster.”

Bilbo rolled his eyes. The worst that could happen would be that there would be some sand on the suit but that was all. Thorin really overreacted.

“You didn’t have to be so harsh with him. He’s only two. He doesn’t understand the concept of a three piece suit. What are you doing here anyway?”

“I came to ask you the same thing,” said Thorin. “What the hell are you doing here? I told you that it’s prom today and you told me you wouldn’t come. And here you are!”

Bilbo sent him a look. “I told you I promised Theo that we would come-“

“I don’t care what you promised him. He’s two. You could have easily lied to him that you couldn’t come! Everyone is talking about you and it’s making Dana uncomfortable. She came as my date and now everyone whispers behind her back.”

“So what you came here to tell us is that you want us to leave?”

“The sooner the better.”

Bilbo stared at Thorin for a whole minute hoping that this was some sort of a joke. But Thorin was dead serious about it.

“Come sweetheart, it’s time to go home,” Bilbo told Theo completely ignoring the way Thorin was looking at him.

“Nooo… Few more minutes? Please?”

Even though Theo was crying and Bilbo would love to stay just to show Thorin that he can’t boss him around, he decided to leave. Having a shouting match with Thorin would draw too much attention and in the end the only one hurt would be his son.

“We’ll come back another time, how does that sound?” Bilbo wiped the tears away from Theo’s face and waited until he nodded. “Help me put your toys in the bag, quickly,” Bilbo smiled encouragingly. Once they had everything in the bag he lifted Theo up in his arms and walked past Thorin who was still looking at them.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me. I didn’t do it for you.”

And with that Bilbo walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response first chapter got was amazing; so thank you!
> 
> I decided I'm going to update every two weeks because this is the only way I can update regularly.  
> And as you may have noticed - Thorin is going to be a jerk for the first few chapter, but don't be angry at him, he has his reasons.
> 
> Let me know what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo finally gets some good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big 'thank you' to [Chamelaucium](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Chamelaucium), who helped with this chapter.

Bilbo heard the front door open and close and a few seconds later Theo came running into the kitchen and tried to hide behind him.

“Sweetheart?” questioned Bilbo. “What’s going on?”

“Theodore?!” Bilbo heard Thorin call from the living room and a few moments later he joined him in the kitchen. “Hi, do you know where Theodore is? All of his toys are in the living room but he’s nowhere to be found.”

Bilbo looked down where Theo was holding on to his leg, trying to hide from Thorin.

“Hey, little man,” Thorin smiled and crouched down on his son’s level. “Aren’t you going to say ‘hi’ to me?”

Bilbo looked down at his son who shook his head and then lifted his arms up for Bilbo to lift him up. “Say ‘hi’ to daddy,” Bilbo encouraged, but Theo didn’t even look at Thorin.

“Bed.”

Bilbo checked the time. “You’re right. It’s time for your nap.”

“I can take him,” Thorin offered.

“Papa do it.” At Theo’s words Bilbo offered Thorin an apologetic smile.

“I’ll be right back,” he promised before taking Theo upstairs.

:::

When he came back down he noticed that Thorin’s mood had become rather sour. “Everything alright?” he asked.

“No, everything is not alright!” Bilbo tried to shush him but Thorin completely ignored him. “What the hell did you say to him that he is so afraid of me?”

“Can you keep it down,” Bilbo hissed. “I just put him to bed. And to answer your question – I didn’t say anything to him.”

“Well for some reason he’s avoiding me, and since you spend most of the time with him the only logical explanation is that you said something!”

“Like he would understand what I was trying to say,” Bilbo hissed back, annoyed by Thorin’s accusatory tone. “Let me remind you that it was you who pushed him away last week and asked us to leave because your girlfriend was uncomfortable with us being there. You pushed him away when he tried to approach you. All he needs is someone to hug him and make take care of him and he’ll love you forever. You decided to push him away.”

“I had a new suit,” Thorin protested.

“He’s two. He doesn’t really care what you are wearing.” Bilbo could see how much it pained Thorin that Theo ran away from him. And even though he was still angry at him for what he did, he didn’t have the heart to see him like this. “Why don’t you stay until he wakes up?” he offered. “He won’t sleep for more than an hour and a half.”

Thorin didn’t know what else to do but to accept Bilbo’s offer. He was willing to do everything to get Theodore to like him again. After all, he was all he had left of Bilbo.

Just like Bilbo said Theo didn’t sleep for more than an hour and a half before he called for him. Theo called for Bilbo but it was Thorin who went upstairs to check on him.

“Hey buddy, did you sleep well?” Thorin asked when he entered Bilbo’s bedroom. Theo just stared at him and didn’t say anything. “Will you go downstairs with me?” Thorin wasn’t completely sure what else to do and Bilbo forbade him to bribe Theodore with more toys, in addition to deciding not to help him. _“He’s upstairs,”_ Bilbo told him. _“If you want him to forgive you, you’ll have to do it yourself. And don’t even think about bribing him with toys!”_

“Want papa,” Theo told him.

“He is waiting for us downstairs,” Thorin told him as he sat down on Bilbo’s bed.

Theo continued to stare at him. “Want papa.”

“You and me both,” sighed Thorin. “You two mean the world to me. I love you very much.” Theo studied Thorin for a moment before lifting his arms up, letting Thorin know to pick him up. “I’m sorry for being an idiot last time,” Thorin pressed a kiss to his head. “Do you forgive me?”

This time Theo nodded and smiled.

:::

A few days later when Theo and Bilbo were cuddling on the couch reading a book – well, Bilbo was reading; Theo was just pointing to pictures and asking about this and that and tried to copy Bilbo’s sounds – when the phone rang.

“Go through the book and find the animals in the picture,” Bilbo said as he put Theo on the couch. “You’ll tell me everything later.” He went for the phone and picked it up. “Yes?”

 _“Can I speak to Bilbo Baggins, please?”_ said a female voice on the other side.

“This is he. How can I help you?”

“I’m calling on behalf of Mr. Huntington, dean of Iron Hills University. The dean is in town today and he asked me to contact you regarding the interview for the scholarship. He’s available to you today in his office, or any day later on campus. So what time would suit you the best?”

“I’m sorry, I think you called the wrong person. I didn’t send an application to your school.”

“The dean studied your case and decided to give you a chance, if you want it of course.”

“Of course I want it,” Bilbo answered almost too eagerly. He looked back at Theo who was flipping through the book. “I can meet him today.”

“Excellent.”

They exchanged hour and place of the meeting before hanging up. Bilbo’s heart was pounding when he put the phone down. He was called for an interview for a school he didn’t apply to. He looked back at Theo still being completely ignorant about what was going on around him, and that’s when his smile fell. It was times like this that he wished for one of his parents to be home to watch his son for an hour or two. But as luck would have it, they were home alone, and he couldn’t take Theo to the interview.

The only option was to take him to Thorin’s house and leave him there.

He got dressed and changed Theo, picked up few of his things and put them in the bag before hurrying out of the house. He would make it to Thorin and then to the city hopefully in time. He really didn’t want to be late because this could be his first and last opportunity at getting a scholarship.

When he arrived to Thorin’s house he didn’t even bother going through the back door. He was hoping to leave Theo and then come back two hours later.

Luckily it was Kíli who opened the door.

“Bilbo! Long time no see! And you brought Theo!” Kíli absolutely loved his nephew and the two-year-old went into his arms willingly.

“Can he stay here for two hours? I have a very important interview and I can’t take him with me,” Bilbo quickly explained.

“Of course he can stay. Everyone is at home so he won’t be bored. You can leave him here for more than two hours, no one will mind.”

Just as Kíli finished his thought Thorin walked in on them. “Bilbo, what are you doing here?” He looked surprised to see him and his eyes widened in horror when he saw Theo.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call-“ His thought was caught short when Thorin pulled him in and dragged him with Kíli and Theo into the kitchen.

“That was rude,” pointed out Bilbo and Thorin pressed a hand over his mouth.

“You can’t be here.”

“I told you I was sorry about not calling-“

“You need to leave,” Thorin told him with urgency and Bilbo knew he was hiding something.

“Will you ever let me finish?”

“You and Theodore need to leave. Now!”

“I came to ask you if he can stay with you for an hour or two,” tried to explain Bilbo. “I was invited to an interview for a scholarship and I can’t take Theo with me. I would mean the world to me if he can stay with you.”

“He can’t stay, and you need to leave.” He tried to push Bilbo toward the back door, but Kíli stopped him.

“He can stay in my room. We’ll be quiet. No one will know he’s here,” tried Kíli.

“It’s just for an hour or two,” tried Bilbo once again.

“Look, Dana’s parents are here and they have no idea that you or Theodore exist and I would like to keep it that way. What do you think they will think of me if they found out I got you pregnant? And there is no way of keeping Theodore quiet. I’m not risking it.”

Thorin’s words hurt. Luckily Theo was too young to understand them, but with Bilbo they went straight through the heart. “Thorin please… I won’t ask you for anything else, ever. Do it for me. This opportunity might be my only chance to go to college.”

“You already know my answer,” said Thorin coldly and opened the doors.

Bilbo needed a moment to collect his thoughts and to finally accept that this was happening again. He reached for Theo and made his way to the doors.

“I’ll come visit,” promised Kíli and Bilbo nodded before stepping out.

“Bye-bye,” called Theo and waved at Thorin and Kíli in goodbye.

Thorin closed the doors before Bilbo even managed to look back.

.:.:.:.:.:.

Theo was already put to bed when Thorin finally spoke about the real reason behind his visit. “I met professor Elrond today,” he told Bilbo as they walked down the stairs to join everyone in the living room. “I didn’t even see him, but he saw and stopped me. We had a little chat.”

“Anything interesting,” asked Bilbo casually as he walked into the kitchen to find a snack with Thorin following close behind. “I mean, what could you possibly talk about with my history teacher?”

“About you, actually.”

“Oh. And what did he tell you about me? I haven’t seen him in a few months.”

“Yes, that’s the thing we were talking about.” Thorin knew that if Bilbo didn’t want to talk about something he would find a million ways to steer conversation into a different direction. It was better to get straight to the point. “Why haven’t you passed any of your classes yet? Or better said: why didn’t you even show up at school when you were supposed to have an exam. Gandalf gave you the opportunity to pass the classes with exams, but that will be hard to do since you didn’t even show up.”

Bilbo thought about lying for a second before he decided to simply not tell anything. “I just didn’t. Simple as that.”

“I would like to know why,” insisted Thorin.

“I’m not going to college, so where’s the point of finishing high school.”

“Don’t try to convince me you don’t care,” told him Thorin. “I know you, and I know that you care.”

Bilbo rolled his eyes before he opened the kitchen cabinet and pulled out a bag of cheese flips. “I just didn’t go. Can’t you live with that?”

“No. I would like to know why.”

“I didn’t even study. If I went, I wouldn’t pass so I saw no point in going. Happy?”

“You knew for months when you’d have your exams and you didn’t study? That’s just being lazy.”

Bilbo had more than enough of Thorin’s judgmental tone. “I wasn’t lazy, I just had other, more important things to do than study. So excuse me if my life doesn’t spin around getting proper education.”

“Like you have that much to do,” accused Thorin. “You spend all the time in the house. Yeah,” he snorted, “A lot of work.”

“Yes, I spend all my time in this house taking care of _our_ son. I’m with him to feed him, change him, play with him. Making sure that he isn’t missing anything. I’m also with him when he’s feeling unwell. Did you know that he was teething and that he was in pain? Did I mention he continued to cry for a few nights in a row and that _I_ stayed up with him and tried to soothe the pain by bringing him a wet cold cloth every half an hour so that he had something to chew on? You didn’t know that, did you? Of course not. You come to visit every few weeks to judge me and tell me what I’m doing wrong, and you don’t even bother to ask how our son has been in that time. I also didn’t tell you that he got sick for a few days, but you didn’t even ask so I’m guessing you don’t even care. So I’m sorry if I was too exhausted to do anything else except take care of our son, and didn’t force myself to study so that I could finish high school!”

Thorin stared at Bilbo for almost a minute before speaking. “You could have said something. I would have helped.”

Bilbo snorted at that. “Calling every few hours to check how he’s doing isn’t helping, Thorin.”

“I would have stayed with you,” insisted Thorin.

“Yeah? And do what exactly? The moment something is off you start panicking and hand him over. You don’t know how to change him, or how to prepare a bottle, you don’t know what calms him down. You don’t know anything because you are never here!”

“You asked me not to come!”

“Well I’m sorry if I don’t enjoy seeing your girlfriend, who is, by the way, not allowed anywhere near my son.”

“I only brought her once because I wanted her to meet Theodore. It’s not my bloody fault you can’t move on. We dated, it was in the past, just get over it!”

“I’m so over it!”

.:.:.:.:.:.

He was not over it. Not even close on getting over it. He loved Thorin almost as much as Theo and his words hurt. It was more than clear that Thorin had moved on – he was meeting her parents for Mahal’s sake! The slips that happened every few months, the ones that they both kept quiet about, apparently meant nothing to Thorin. He was only an obstacle for Thorin, and Theo too. He was embarrassed of them and didn’t want anyone to know they existed.

A part of Bilbo understood. What would Dana’s parents think about him if they knew he had a son? Not a very good first impression, he had to agree with that. But the other part of him was hurt because Thorin has once again rejected him. Maybe it was time to move on. There was no point on dwelling on Thorin if his feelings weren’t returned. Or were they? Thorin said that he loved him. He said that many times and Bilbo wanted to believe him, he wanted to believe him so badly.

But the reality was that Thorin once again turned his back on him and now he had an interview in one hour and his two year old son with him. He had two options. He could go to the interview and hope that they will even talk to him because he brought his son with him, or he could just go home and pretend it didn’t happen.

“Go where?” asked Theo and Bilbo looked at his son.

“I have an interview soon, but I’m not sure if taking you with me is a good idea.”

“Be good. Promise.”

“Oh,” smiled Bilbo. “You promise to be good, you are such a sweetheart, you know that?”

“Go,” smiled Theo.

“Fine, we are going. I just hope this doesn’t end badly.”

:::

Bilbo never felt more nervous in his life. Even waiting for the pregnancy test results when he was pregnant with Theo wasn’t so nerve-wracking as sitting in front of dean’s office waiting for his turn. There were three students waiting with him and each of them had a folder with them probably filled with credentials and recognition awards and everything. He brought his son and his diaper bag with him. He stood no chance. And if the secretary could give him an even worse stink eye that would make his day even better.

“Bilbo Baggins?” she called and Bilbo stood up.

“Yes.”

“The dean is ready to see you.”

She led him through a short corridor and opened the old mahogany doors for him. The dean was already waiting for him. “Bilbo Baggins,” he quickly introduced himself and shook the offered hand.

“Nice to meet you, Bilbo. Please have a seat,” the dean said and gestured to the chairs in front of his desk, before taking a seat himself.

Bilbo suddenly wasn’t so nervous anymore. The dean didn’t say anything about Theo being present so that was a good sign, he hoped. “I really appreciate the opportunity, though I don’t understand how you found me since I didn’t send an application to your school.”

“Your headmaster and history teacher are personal friends of mine and they speak very highly of you. I was too curious to let the opportunity to get to know you pass,” the dean replied. “May I ask how many application have you sent?”

Bilbo swallowed hard. “Eight, Sir.”

“I see.” Theo suddenly saw something on the dean’s desk that caught his attention and he reached toward it, but Bilbo pulled him back absentmindedly. “And how many of those were approved?”

“None.” Maybe this wasn’t going as well as Bilbo imagined.

“And your classes? Did you finish them all?”

“Yes.”

“Professor Elrond speaks very highly of you. What did you want to study?”

“Papa,” whined Theo and Bilbo knew exactly what his son wanted. He reached for the bag and blindly searched for the bottle before giving it to Theo so that he could drink, while he answered the questions.

“History and literature, that’s what I wanted to study, but I didn’t get in.”

“I see.” The dean wanted to say something but was interrupted by Theo who pushed the bottle back in Bilbo’s hand.

“Thank you!”

“You’re welcome.” Bilbo looked apologetically at Mr. Huntington. “I’m sorry. You wanted to ask me something.”

“Yes. Why did you never apply to our school? With the program we have you would be the perfect candidate.”

“I never thought about it really. I wanted-“

“A picture!” announced Theo and pointed at the painting on the wall.

“A painting,” corrected Bilbo, feeling more and more uncomfortable. He knew that the dean was watching him and he could only imagine what he must be thinking.

“Painting,” repeated Theo and Bilbo offered him a smile, and Theo beamed with pride that he got something right.

“What I wanted to say is that I was only choosing between schools that were close to my home-“

“Phone!” Theo pointed at the phone on dean’s desk and Bilbo winced at the second interruption. This wasn’t looking good.

“Yes, it’s a phone,” Bilbo quickly told Theo. “You promised me to be good, remember?” Theo nodded. “I’m talking with someone. Can you sit still for a few more minutes and then we’ll leave?” Theo nodded again and Bilbo continued.

“I was only choosing between colleges close to home because I need to be back home every day. I can’t just leave him with my parents all the time and I’m not able to afford living accommodations on campus. Living without him is out of the question for me.

“Well-“

“Old,” said Theo loudly and pointed at the dean. In that moment Bilbo wanted to die of embarrassment.

“I’m sorry,” he quickly apologized. “He’s two. He… I’m really sorry.” He turned his attention back to Theo not caring what the dean will think since he was planning on leaving anyway. This was a bad idea from the beginning. “You can’t tell people that they are old.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s not nice.”

“Sowy,” Theo said and looked down.

“Apology accepted,” said the dean to Bilbo’s surprise.

“I would like to thank you again for this opportunity,” said Bilbo quickly and stood up before lifting Theo and taking the bag. “It was a pleasure talking with you. And I’m really sorry for wasting your time.” His plan was to get out of there as soon as possible, before he died of embarrassment. He hadn’t even reached the door when the dean spoke.

“Bilbo. Please sit down.”

Bilbo closed his eyes for a moment and then cursed loudly in his head before turning around and sitting back in the chair, not daring to make eye contact.

“You didn’t introduce me to the young man in your arms. What’s his name?”

Bilbo looked at the dean before answering. “Theo.”

“Short for Theodore, I assume.” Bilbo nodded in confirmation. “And how old are you?” the dean asked Theo and waited until he was proudly showed two fingers. “Two? Wow! I thought you were older.” Theo smiled happily and shook his head. “So he’s living with you?” dean directed his questions back to Bilbo.

“Yes, he lives with me.”

“And his other father, is he around?”

“Thorin comes to visit when he’s not busy with school,” Bilbo lied.

“Durin?”

“Yes,” confirmed Bilbo. “How did you know?”

“The Durin family is well known in the Iron Hills. Were you planning on bringing Theodore with you or didn’t you have anyone to watch him?”

Bilbo wasn’t going to lie. “I wasn’t planning on bringing him here, but there was no one who could watch him. He’s my responsibility and I just couldn’t leave him. I’m trying my best, but it’s exhausting. And I’m sorry, again, for what happened.”

“You don’t need to apologize. He’s only two and if I’m sure about anything it’s that children can be brutally honest,” the dean smiled, “and it’s not like he said anything that isn’t true. You seem to have a very good control over him, and I can see that he’s attached to you. Iron Hills is very far away and separating you two just wouldn’t do it, besides I know you would never agree to it.”

“No, I wouldn’t. Thank you again for your time.”

The dean rolled his eyes. “What is it with you and leaving? Sit down.” Bilbo decided to stay quiet and obey. “Not a lot of people know this,” continued dean, “but my wife and I had a girl when we were your age, so I have a very good idea what you are going through. It’s not an easy job raising a child when everyone around is going to parties and having fun, while you stay at home. Believe me, I know how it feels. I also know how hard is to get proper education when you are a young parent because everyone thinks you’re not capable of taking care of a child. What everyone likes to forget is how it feels to be young. It’s much easier to run after a toddler when you are twenty than when you are in your thirties. You have a lot more energy when you are young and thus more active.”

“I don’t understand,” Bilbo said, confused.

“At our school there are currently six couples living on the campus with their children, all of them are under five years of age. And to everyone’s surprise, they have better grades than most of the students because they know what they are studying for. They know their responsibilities and they are doing their best to finish school and get a job as soon as possible. There is no such thing as drinking the first year and then studying the second. They all know for what they came for. Knowledge.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Do you want to hear the best part?” Bilbo only nodded. “Since our government discovered they are doing so well they decided to pay for their schooling and cover all their expenses of living accommodations, under the condition that they finish school without repeating a year. If I understand correctly you currently don’t have a partner?”

“No, I don’t.”

“We usually accept couples. It makes things easier for us, them and their children. But I don’t see any problems with having you there, if you want to come of course.”

Bilbo just stared at him, unsure what to think. This was the best thing that has happened in a while. He would go to college and Theo would be able to go with him. What could be better?

“Bilbo,” the dean interrupted, “I need your answer.”

“Yes!” said Theo and Bilbo almost let out a laugh.

“Yes. It’s yes! Of course I want to come. This is more than I ever hoped for.”

“Excellent. My secretary will give you everything that you’ll need to apply, with all the brochures and all the information you’ll need. Think about it again and if this is what you really want send us your application. We’ll do everything else and get to you as soon as possible.”

“That sounds great,” smiled Bilbo, his heart pounding in his chest with excitement.

“I would advise you to take a few classes during the summer. The campus isn’t that full and it will be easier for you to get accustomed to living there. And it would also mean few classes less during the school year, meaning you won’t have that much work.”

“I’ll think about it, I promise.” Bilbo stood up and followed dean to the doors. “Again, thank you for this.”

“You are more than welcome.” They shook hands and then Bilbo left.

:::

He got home two hours later. Needless to say his mother was worried sick about him, not knowing where he’d gone when he’d said he was planning on staying home.

“Finally!” Belladonna said when Bilbo walked in with Theo. “Where were you? I thought you said you were staying home. And what happened to your shirt?”

“I was, but then I got this phone call and decided to go. As for my shirt – this is what happens when Theo eats ice-cream. I took him out to celebrate.”

Belladonna smiled warmly before reaching for Theo. “I can watch him while you change.”

“Thanks,” said Bilbo and hurried up the stairs, but Belladonna stopped him.

“You said you two were celebrating. What exactly were you celebrating?”

“Going to college,” Bilbo smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You keep spoiling me with your comments and them I want to make it up to you and post chapters sooner... But I can't because I want to keep my updates regular and sadly this is the only way that I can make that happen.
> 
> But thank you so much for the amazing response!
> 
> Next chapter: Thorin continues being a jerk (sorry) and Bilbo meets someone new. Friend or foe?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin continues being a jerk (sorry) and Bilbo meets someone new. Friend or foe?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big 'thank you' to [Chamelaucium](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Chamelaucium), who helped with this chapter.
> 
> I'm so sorry you had to wait this long.

Bilbo was fuming inside. This couldn't be happening. On the other hand he shouldn’t be surprised. Thorin always knew how to be difficult. But this time it wasn’t about him, it was about Bilbo.

“Can you just think about this for a minute?!”

“I did-“

“For a whole ten seconds,” Bilbo yelled at him. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Are you really going to take it away from me? Could you be any more selfish than this?”

“I’m not stopping you!” Thorin said defensively. "I never said you can’t go. If you want to go, then be my guest, enjoy it.”

“So I can take Theo with me?” Bilbo asked, a little confused since this fight was all about Thorin not allowing him to take Theo away.

“Out of the question,” Thorin cut back sharply.

“Then why did you say I can go?”

“It’s your life, you can do whatever you want, but you are not taking Theodore away from here.”

Bilbo didn’t miss how Thorin used ‘here’ as from this place, instead of ‘me’, but decided to ignore it. He knew that Thorin cared about Theo as much as he did, he just didn’t show it. “It’s not like you’ll miss him, you hardly see him.” Bilbo knew he shouldn’t have said that, but what was done was done. “It’s a five hour drive.”

“Seven by bus,” Thorin corrected and offered him one of those fake smiles. “And if it’s only seven hour drive then I’m sure you won’t have any problems coming to visit - that is, if you decide to go. I’m sure Theodore will miss you, after all, you mean the world to him.”

Bilbo swallowed hard. When Thorin didn’t want him to do something he always played that card. It was low and dirty, but it always made Bilbo feel guilty enough to not do the thing he planned to do. “I would bring him back once a month, even every two weeks if that’s what you would want. You would still get to see him and talk to him. We could both be happy with the arrangement. And you spend most of the week on the campus, you wouldn’t get to see him anyway.”

“Actually, I’m moving back home. It’s not that far and I can drive to my classes every morning.”

“So you're moving back home because you need someone to clean and cook for you,” Bilbo summarized and Thorin shot him a look. There was a moment of silence before Bilbo spoke again. “Can I at least ask you to think about it. I really want to go. I’m sick of working at the grocery store.”

“I will think about it,” promised Thorin, “but don’t expect a different answer. Theodore stays here. The way I see it you have three options. Number one: you can go, but Theodore stays and number two: you can both stay here.”

“And number three?” asked Bilbo.

“You can always find another job if you don’t like working at the grocery store.”

That wasn’t something Bilbo expected to hear, but he wasn’t shocked. This wasn’t the Thorin he once knew. The Thorin he once knew would be excited for him, and would accept the offer to come with him. After all, the apartments were designed for small families and the business classes Thorin was taking were almost the same in the Iron Hills as they were here.

Bilbo didn’t want to sound so broken but he just couldn’t help himself. “You know, I thought we were in this together. Not like together, together, but more like partners. I thought we were going to help each other out. That we were going to share the responsibility and the consequences. I guess I was wrong.” He picked up Theo’s bag and headed toward the door. “Thank you for watching him while I was at work.”

Bilbo left Thorin’s room without looking back or saying anything else. He went to pick up Theo, who was playing with Fíli in the playroom, before they headed home.

“Hey,” Fíli smiled. “I think congratulations are in order. Everyone heard,” Fíli told him happily. “You must be so excited about getting accepted to college!”

Bilbo sighed and sat down next to his son on the floor who continued to play with his toys. He brushed a strand of hair from his son’s face before answering. “I guess I might have spoken about it too quickly.”

“What? You didn’t get in? I heard you were practically in and that all you had to do was send your application.”

“I did get in,” Bilbo tried to smile, “but things changed. I will not be going.”

“What?! Why not? This is the perfect opportunity.”

“True,” agreed Bilbo. “But I don’t want to leave Theo behind. He’s used to living with me, and he’s only two, I can’t just leave him.”

Fíli immediately understood what this was all about. “If you want I can talk to Thorin-“

“No, it’s fine,” Bilbo interrupted quickly. “We already spoke and decided it would be for the best if I don’t go.”

“That’s bullshit!” Fíli exclaimed and Bilbo shot him a look. He didn’t like it when people cursed around Theo, especially now that he enjoyed repeating things. “What I wanted to say is that we both know that it didn’t happen like that. Did Thorin threaten you-“

“No, no,” Bilbo interrupted again. “Nothing like that. We discussed everything and then made the decision together.”

“You know I don’t believe you, don’t you?”

“I know,” Bilbo confirmed with a sigh. “But can we just leave it at that? I don’t want anyone to blame Thorin.”

“One day Theo will be old enough to understand what happened and he’s going to be angry at Thorin anyway. I don’t know why you're trying to protect my brother so much. He’s a jerk.”

Bilbo sent him another look and Fíli just shrugged. “He does what he thinks is the best for Theo. I admit that I was being selfish. What was I thinking? Taking a two-year-old with me to college? Who does that?”

“You weren’t being selfish,” Fíli told him. “You just want to do the things everyone else does, and going to college is one of them.”

Bilbo nodded. “Thank you for playing with him.”

“It was a pleasure,” Fíli smiled. “After all, he’s my favorite nephew.”

“He’s your only nephew,” Bilbo reminded him and Fíli offered him a smile.

After putting the toys away and saying goodbye they finally left. Theo was tired and insisted on Bilbo carrying him. They weren’t that far from the house when they met Dwalin and Ori, holding hands and looking completely in love with each other.

“Bilbo!” Ori greeted, all excited, but Bilbo shushed him. Theo was already half asleep in his arms. “Where are you going? We are just headed over to Thorin’s, but decided to take a walk since it’s warm enough. We haven’t talked in ages! How have you been? And look at how cute Theo is! Isn’t he beautiful?” Ori asked and tugged at Dwalin’s hand like a child, but Dwalin didn’t even move.

“I’m fine,” answered Bilbo, not quite knowing where to start. “We were just there, now we're heading home because someone is tired,” he explained and looked fondly at the sleeping boy in his arms.

“Well, next time call me when you visit Thorin. I want to spend some time with Theo. I never get to see him. And we have to talk, we haven’t done that in a while.”

“I wasn’t visiting, I was picking Theo up after work. But I will call you the next time I leave him there, I promise.”

“Oh, I completely forgot!” Ori exclaimed. “Congratulations! We all heard you got accepted to college.” Bilbo wanted to slap himself. How was it possible that everyone found out about it? Yes, it had been a few weeks since the interview, but he'd only got the acceptance letter two days ago. “You must be so excited,” continued Ori. “Which makes me wonder what were you doing at work? Shouldn’t you be packing? I heard from my friends that orientation week starts in a few days. You’ll have to tell me everything about it!”

Bilbo thought for a moment about how to explain to Ori that he wouldn’t be going without making this thing awkward. “There has been some change of plans,” he started eventually.

“You won’t be going to orientation week? I heard that was the most fun part.”

“Yeah, I heard that too… But I thought about everything and decided not to go.”

“To the orientation week?” asked Ori, but the look on Bilbo’s face told him that they were talking about something else. “Oh… Are you sure about that, because I always thought you wanted to go?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. I had a few days to think about it and decided it would be best not to go,” he offered Ori a comforting smile. “I’m sure Theo wouldn’t like it there, anyway. All the parties, the noise and the drinking. It’s best if I stay here.” During his speech Bilbo could feel Dwalin’s eyes on him, and he knew that Ori’s boyfriend didn’t believe a word of it. He was sure Thorin had already informed him of everything that had happened.

“If you believe that would be the best-“

“I do,” Bilbo said quickly. “I know it’s the right thing to do. Now if you’ll excuse me, we need to keep going; someone is already asleep and I’m sure he would appreciate a comfortable bed. Enjoy your evening.”

:::

Bilbo got home as fast as he could and put Theo to bed before he took a quick shower and headed downstairs. His family was watching TV but he didn’t feel like joining them, he needed some time alone. He went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. The cakes his mother baked for him a few days back was still there. What was left was only a small piece, but it was enough.

“I guess it runs in the family,” his father said as he entered the kitchen and found him eating the cake. “Whenever we're upset we eat.” Bungo took a fork from the drawer and joined him. “Did you and Thorin talk?”

“We did,” Bilbo answered.

“And?”

Bilbo swallowed another bite. “I should have done it sooner. Before I sent my application.”

“He doesn’t want you to go?”

Bilbo shook his head. “He doesn’t care about me, he just doesn’t want me to take Theo. And there is nothing I can do about it. I won’t leave Theo here.”

Bungo clenched his fists. “That boy needs someone to give him a piece of mind!”

“Calm down, dad. It’s not his fault. He has the same rights to Theo as I do, and if he doesn’t want him to leave that’s perfectly understandable. He never said I can’t go, he just doesn’t want me to take Theo.”

“Still, he’s only thinking about himself. He never once thinks of you! He comes to visit every few days and then leaves. Hardly a father figure, don’t you think?”

“It’s not my place to judge Thorin’s decisions, and I’m not going to force him to come. He has a family, a girlfriend, he goes to college, he has friends… He’s busy.”

“And you too have a family, and on top of that you have a son,” reminded him Bungo. “He’s not just your responsibility.”

“I can’t force Thorin to come here. It has to be his decision.”

“I thought things would be different,” admitted Bungo. “I thought you two would work together, not against each other.”

“Things are the way they are,” Bilbo sighed. “I’m going to call them tomorrow morning and tell them I won’t be coming to the Iron Hills. I just feel so stupid right now. If I'd asked Thorin first then I wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place.”

They were sitting in silence for a minute before Bungo spoke again. “You could at least go to the orientation week. If I understood correctly it’s only three days. Theodore would survive without you for a few days and so will you.”

“There’s no point in going if I’m not planning on studying there, now, is there?" Bilbo almost snapped at his father.

“Then take it as a trip. You'll see some new places, meet some new people. It should be fun. You can take a few days for yourself, no one will blame you. And Theodore can stay with us, or with Thorin. Either way I think you should go and have some fun,” Bungo encouraged.

“I don’t know, dad. I can’t just leave-“

“Sure you can,” Bungo interrupted. “And it will only be for three days, that’s not long. It'll be over in the blink of eye.”

Bilbo thought about it. He really wanted to go so what was stopping him? Theo could stay with Thorin for a few days and he would get to experience a normal campus life. Suddenly he became so excited about meeting new people and seeing new places and learning new things. And so the decision was made.

:::

Bilbo knew that Theo was on the verge of crying, but he couldn’t allow him to start crying right now, because then he would start crying and he would never leave.

“Story?”

“You already had a story,” Bilbo reminded him and ran his fingers through Theo’s hair. “It’s time for you to go to sleep.”

“Not sleepy,” Theo protested. “Want home.”

“You’re staying with your daddy for a few days, remember? And you can sleep in this bed made for big boys.”

“Want my bed,” Theo demanded and Bilbo almost rolled his eyes. Theo was always complaining about sleeping in his own bed because it was for babies. Now that he had his own bed he wanted the old one.

“You are going to have so much fun with daddy and Fíli and Kíli,” promised him Bilbo. “Now try to go to sleep.”

“Stay here.”

“I’m going to stay here until you fall asleep,” promised Bilbo and placed a kiss on Theo’s head. “Now go to sleep.”

Theo didn’t go to sleep. He kept his eyes open and held Bilbo’s hand not wanting to let him go. Bilbo kept glancing to his watch. If he didn’t leave soon he'd miss his bus. He had only one option left. He climbed into bed with Theo, knowing that the boy would fall asleep in no time. And that was exactly what happened. Ten minutes later Bilbo kissed Theo for the last time before silently leaving the room.

“Don’t worry Bilbo, we’ll take care of him,” Dana said and Bilbo wanted to snap at her to leave his child alone but Thorin interrupted him.

“Come, I’ll drive you. I know you're already late.”

“Thanks,” muttered Bilbo before he followed Thorin to the car.

They drove in complete silence for the first few minutes until Bilbo decided to speak and give Thorin some last minute instructions.

“I don’t want her anywhere near my son. Do I make myself clear?”

Thorin rolled his eyes. “She's staying at my place, I think what you’re asking will be a little hard to do.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want here anywhere near my son without supervision. I don’t trust her. Also, you are not allowed to sleep naked or to have sex. I don’t want Theo to come into your room and see you two doing it.”

“Why would he come to my room?”

“Because he’s two, and this is the first time I left him at your place for more than twelve hours and he might get scared and he’ll need you. That reminds me – you need to keep your doors open so he can come to you. And if you wake up go check on him because if he has a nightmare he will be too scared to leave his bed so make sure he has his plushy and you’ll have to stay with him until he falls asleep.”

“Okay, okay, I can handle him for a few days. Don’t worry, he’s two. How hard can it be?”

Bilbo sent Thorin a look. “Don’t allow him to play with your phone unless you are there with him. And if he wants he can call me anytime he wants.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. I’m not dumb.”

“I mean it Thorin. If he wants to call me in the middle of the night you have to call me.”

Thorin parked the car. “It’s not rocket science,” he reminded Bilbo. “But don’t worry, I've got it. Don’t allow Dana near my son and make sure he has everything he needs.” Bilbo wanted to protest but Thorin interrupted him. “You'd better go. I’ll see you in a few days.”

“And call me in the morning.”

“I will,” promised Thorin. “Now go!”

:::

The bus ride was uneventful. The bus was almost empty so Bilbo was sitting comfortably, listening to the light music. He wanted to sleep but he just couldn’t. His mind was constantly drifting back to Theo and the fact that his son might need him right now. He checked his phone at least a hundred times to make sure he didn’t accidentally miss a call, but nothing happened. He sat alone by the window for almost seven hours. The only thing he could see were the lights in the distance since he was travelling in the middle of the night. This would be so much more interesting if he could see the landscape around him.

The bus came to a stop not far from the campus and Bilbo was eager to get out of the bus and stretch his legs a little. Even though it was summer it was much more colder outside and Bilbo had to pull out a hoodie before making his way to the dormitories.

He couldn’t see much since it was really dark outside but the things he could see were even better than he imagined them. He slowly made his way to the main building with an entry sign. To his surprise everything was quiet and with the exception of a few lights everywhere was dark. He focused back on the task which was getting his room key and getting some sleep. So he pushed the doors opened and entered dimly lit reception room.

One of the students was half awake, sleeping lightly in the chair behind the desk.

“Hello,” Bilbo greeted softly and the man jolted awake.

“I’m awake! Sorry, who are you?” the man asked as he rubbed his sleepy eyes.

“I’m Bilbo Baggins. I’m here for the orientation week,” Bilbo explained quickly. “I got a note that my room is in this building.”

“Give me your papers and I’ll sign you in.” The man behind the desk yawned again as Bilbo handed over the papers and waited for his key.

“Here you go,” said the man. “Third floor,” he added as he gave Bilbo the key. Before Bilbo could thank him a tall, dark-haired student entered the building. Bilbo felt his knees weaken at the sight of that gorgeous student. “Hey man, he’s new,” called the man behind the desk and caught the newcomers attention. “Show him to the third floor, will you.”

The man smiled and approached Bilbo. “Welcome to the Iron Hills,” he said and picked up Bilbo’s bag.

“Y-You don’t need to do that,” stammered Bilbo. He could feel his cheeks turning red from the embarrassment.

“Just let me do it,” smiled the man and stole the key from Bilbo’s hand. “Come, it’s this way.”

Bilbo didn’t know what else to do except follow him.

“312,” said the man and offered another smile that made Bilbo blush even more. “Third floor, room twelve. Are you here for the orientation week?”

Bilbo didn’t even hear his question. “W-What?” Stop staring at him, he mentally scolded himself as he followed him up the stairs. It’s rude!

“I asked if you are here for the orientation week?” Bilbo stumbled on the stairs and the man caught him in the last moment before he fell. “Are you okay?"

“Yes, thank you. I don’t know what came over me.”

“That’s okay.”

“Yes,” Bilbo said out of a sudden.

“Excuse me?”

“You asked if I’m here for the orientation week and my answer is yes.”

The man nodded before he pushed the doors open and led Bilbo to the room with the number twelve written on it. He unlocked the doors and put Bilbo’s bag inside before stepping aside and allowing Bilbo to enter. Bilbo turned on the light and stared at the stranger leaning on the doorframe not knowing what to say. Luckily he didn’t have to.

“Listen, I just wanted to ask you-“

“Ihaveababy,” Bilbo quickly blurted out. Nice move, a voice in his head whispered. He really blew it this time. What was he thinking? Telling a complete stranger he had a baby. That was just stupid. “I mean,” Bilbo tried to correct first impression, “he’s not a baby anymore, he’s two.” That should turn the guy completely off. Who in their right mind would want to have anything with him when he came with a child attached?

“Alright, Ihaveababy,” the guy laughed and Bilbo wanted to die from embarrassment. “What I wanted to ask is your name.”

“Bilbo. It’s Bilbo. My name is Bilbo Baggins,” Bilbo quickly explained.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Bilbo Baggins,” the guy said and reached for the doorknob. “Sleep well, and don’t forget that you are supposed to be in front of the main hall tomorrow at nine. Don’t be late,” he added with a smile and close the doors before Bilbo had a chance to protest or ask for his name.

Bilbo immediately opened the door, but he was too late. The mysterious guy was already gone and he had made such a fool of himself. And how did that guy know where were they meeting? This was all very confusing. But one thing was clear. Bilbo hadn’t had a crush like that on someone ever since he met Thorin.

:::

When Bilbo woke up the next morning he wasn’t in his own bed with Theo sleeping in the next one. He was far away from his son and though it pained him a little to admit it, he really enjoyed waking up without any real responsibilities for the day.

He enjoyed a few more minutes of just lying on the bed before he got up and got ready for the day.

He made his way to the dining hall and got his breakfast when his phone finally rang.

“Hello?” he answered, all excited knowing who to expect on the other side. He heard Thorin grumble about something before he was put on speaker.

“You can talk to him,” he heard Thorin say from the distance.

The was a few seconds of silence before Bilbo heard the most perfect thing in the world.

“Papa?”

“Hi, sweetheart.” Bilbo couldn’t help but smile at hearing Theo’s voice. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes!”

“That’s very good.”

The next thing he heard was Thorin taking the phone away and turning off the speaker. He could hear Theo whine in protest. “You’ll have it back,” Thorin said to Theo before speaking in the phone to Bilbo. “No it’s not good and he didn’t sleep well. He woke up in the middle of the night and came crying into my room.”

“Poor thing.”

“And he didn’t stop crying until he was allowed to sleep in my bed. Please don’t tell me you allow him to sleep with you.”

“Of course I don’t, don’t be ridiculous. Wait, I thought Dana was there. Don’t tell me-“

“No,” quickly interrupted Thorin. “She left because Theodore didn’t stop crying. Let me tell you that she wasn’t happy.”

“Want papa!”

“Wait a moment, please,” Bilbo heard Thorin tell Theo. “So, no. We didn’t sleep well.”

“I think Theo did,” answered Bilbo and Thorin knew he was smiling. “Give the phone back to him please.”

Thorin did as he was asked and Bilbo talked with Theo for the next ten minutes before saying goodbye and hanging up. He was happy that his son was okay and that he was giving Thorin hell. Serves him right for not knowing what to do.

Bilbo finished his breakfast before he made his way to the main hall. It was almost nine and there was a group of thirty students his age waiting for the tour of the campus. It didn’t take long before he was able to join the conversation of the group and meet a few new people.

That was until their tour guide showed up and Bilbo lost his ability to speak.

“Hello everyone! My name is Adrian and I’ll be showing you around today. Welcome to the Iron Hills.”

Bilbo’s ears turned red when Adrian – that was the hottie’s name apparently – locked eyes with him and offered him one of those smiles.

“So if you’ll just follow me, I have a lot to show you!”

Bilbo couldn’t believe his luck. What were the chances that the same guy who showed him to his room was now showing him the campus ground? And why in the world did he keep staring at him and offering him those smiles? It was annoying! And it was also cute! And it would have taken Bilbo all day to figure it out if one of the girls hadn’t pointed out to him that their ‘tour guide’ was flirting with him. And suddenly everything made sense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your lovely comments!
> 
> Next chapter: Bilbo hits rock bottom. What will Thorin do?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo hits rock bottom. What will Thorin do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big 'thank you' to [Chamelaucium](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Chamelaucium), who helped with this chapter.

Bilbo didn't mind it; he didn't mind at all that that Adrian guy was flirting with him. He was actually enjoying it. The only problem was that it was really hard to focus on the things that they were being shown instead of staring at the hot stranger from last night. Luckily the tour was over before lunch, and it was just in time because Bilbo was getting quite hungry. He was invited to lunch by some of his new friends, but that group quickly disappeared when Adrian joined them. Some of the girls even chucked and waved at him when he was left alone with the older student.

"Sooo…" Adrian drawled out and Bilbo turned around to look him in the eyes. "Do you like it here or did I fail to impress you?"

Bilbo studied him for a second. "I quite like it here. It's different from where I come from."

"Good different or bad?"

"I haven't decided yet," Bilbo smiled.

"Then let me take you to lunch so that you'll be able to decide."

"I don't know," said Bilbo cheekily. "I don't know you."

"Come on," laughed Adrian. "You've known me for almost twenty-four hours, that should be more than enough." Bilbo couldn't help but laugh. "Besides I know a place where they serve excellent food. I promise you'll like it."

"Fine. Lead the way."

It was a short walk, not more than five minutes and Bilbo really enjoyed talking with Adrian. He found out he was twenty-three years old and that he was studying geology. This would be his last year and he was here for summer classes.

"Here we are," Adrian said proudly.

"Seriously? Fast food?" Bilbo questioned skeptically.

"Of course. Everyone likes fast food, and since I don't know you enough it was a safe pick. When I get to know you better I'll take you wherever you want."

Bilbo sent him a look. "You sound very sure of yourself."

"Of course."

"And what makes you think I like fast food?"

Adrian shrugged. "Everyone likes it."

"I try to avoid it as much as possible."

"Why? Your ass is a little bony," Adrian commented before walking inside.

Bilbo rolled his eyes before he followed him inside and found a table. Was he really attracting idiots? Adrian joined him a few minutes later, bringing two hamburger and a large portion of fries.

"Enjoy," he said before taking a bite.

Bilbo looked skeptically at the hamburger in front of him.

"You don't like it?"

"It's not that," Bilbo answered quickly. "I'm just trying to eat healthy." Adrian looked at Bilbo expectantly and Bilbo gave in and took a bite.

"How is it?"

"Very good, actually," said Bilbo with his mouth full. Adrian wanted to say something but Bilbo's phone rang. "I'm sorry, I have to take this."

Adrian nodded as he watched Bilbo answer his phone.

"Yes? Hello sweetheart!" He listened to Theo for a minute. "That's very good! Did you call to tell me anything else?" Bilbo mouthed 'I'm sorry' to Adrian as Theo continued to speak. "Okay. Have fun. I'll call you in the evening. Bye."

They sat in complete silence for a few moments.

"Boyfriend?" asked Adrian and Bilbo shook his head.

"My son actually."

Adrian's eyes widened. "Y-Your son? You have a son?" Bilbo nodded in response. "So you weren't joking when you said you had a son?"

"You thought I was joking?" asked Bilbo. He had a feeling this lunch will have an early end.

Adrian nodded. "You have no idea what all people say at those hours." Bilbo just shrugged before he took another bite. "You said he was two?" Bilbo nodded in response not wanting to talk with his mouth full. "So you had him when you were seventeen." It wasn't a question so Bilbo didn't say anything. "Is his… You know… Other father around?"

"No. We broke up. He still comes to visit and right now he's watching him."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's better this way."

Adrian noticed how uncomfortable Bilbo has become talking about it. "Let's change the subject. So _do_ you like it here?"

"I like it very much."

"Does it have something to do with me?"

Bilbo sent him a look. "You are very cocky, you know that?"

"I'm just trying to charm you."

Bilbo huffed. "Really?"

"Really. Is it working?"

"Maybe," Bilbo smiled.

He enjoyed the rest of the lunch in Adrian's company. He was a nice change and he was nice and really cocky for most of the time, like he was sure Bilbo liked him. There was no point in denying it - Bilbo liked him and he liked him a lot. He spent the next three days with him. Adrian showed him around the campus in the morning and they spent the afternoons getting to know each other. And before Bilbo wanted it, it was time to return back home.

Those few days that he got to spend with Adrian were fun and he wanted to see him again, but it was time to go back to reality. Back to his son who was missing him more and more and after a few days of not seeing him wanted him back. So Bilbo packed his things and went back home, not telling Adrian that he wasn't planning on coming back.

:::

Theo was having trouble keeping his eyes open even though he knew he would get to see his Papa very soon. It was almost midnight and Thorin had offered to come pick Bilbo up at the bus station and Theo insisted on coming with him. It would be much easier to just leave him at home, but Thorin had to give in to Theo's onslaught of crocodile tears.

When Thorin pointed out that Bilbo was coming back Theo came back to life as if a charger was plugged into him. He tried to wriggle out of Thorin's hold when the bus came to a stop, but Thorin didn't let him go.

The bus stopped and when the doors opened the first to come out was Bilbo. Theo squealed in delight and reached toward him.

"Hello," Bilbo smiled and crossed the distance between them so that he could take Theo from Thorin. "I missed you so much," he told his son as Theo clutched to him like his life depended on it. Bilbo pressed a kiss to Theo's cheek and the two-year-old wrapped his arms around Bilbo's neck and started crying. "I'm here, sweetheart. I'm here. I promise I won't leave you again," Bilbo tried to soothe him and sent Thorin a sympathetic look.

"Do you want me to get your bag?"

"Yes please," said Bilbo and watched Thorin get his bag. Once the bag was in the car there was only a simple problem of convincing Theo to let go of his shirt so that they could go home.

"You've became quite the expert," Bilbo observed as Thorin strapped Theo into the car seat without any difficulties even when Theo was being extremely difficult and was giving Thorin hell because he wanted to sit with Bilbo.

"We went out together a couple of times and I know how annoying you become if he doesn't sit in the car seat."

"So you did it just to please me, even when I was too far away to notice it or to get angry?"

Thorin closed the car doors after Theo was in the car seat and sent Bilbo a look. "I did it for his safety."

"Of course," smiled Bilbo and got into the car.

Theo calmed down after a few minutes and they fell into an uncomfortable silence.

"You're taking us home?" Bilbo asked.

"I figured you'd want Theo with you and I don't think he would want to go to sleep without you. All his stuff are in the back." Bilbo only nodded at the given explanation. "I assume you had fun?"

Bilbo had to admit that he was surprised at Thorin's question. He didn't expect anything from him, let alone ask how his trip was. "It was very nice. I met new people and they showed us around campus. You can't imagine how amazing everything looks. The dorms are beautiful. I stayed in one of the rooms but they showed me one of the family apartments and it was small but perfect."

"So you are going back then?"

"No, I'm expected at work on Monday. I'm not going back. It's just that my dad thought it would be a nice experience to go and he was right. I haven't had that much fun ever since Theo was born. I don't know why am I telling you this," Bilbo admitted. "You go to a party almost every weekend. You must think I'm crazy for saying that I had a blast."

Thorin didn't want to talk about it. "It's good to have you back. Theodore really missed you."

"I missed him too. Everything for Theo, right?"

Thorin didn't answer him, knowing it would only provoke a fight between them. The fact that it was always Bilbo who had to sacrifice everything was heavily implied. He had no friends, if you didn't count Fíli and Kíli, he didn't go out to have fun, he wouldn't be going to college. He went to work and took care of Theodore, that was all he did. He was always there when Theo needed him, and if the last few days showed anything they showed how little Thorin knew about his son. He spent so little time with him and because of that he was so adamant to not allow Bilbo to take him away. Because then he would not see him at all.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see Theo, it was just that the situation he was currently in didn't allow him to. He would love to spend every day with Theo, and Bilbo, of course, but right now that wasn't possible. He had to stop thinking about it otherwise he would say to hell with everything and kiss the life out of Bilbo. For now he had to help his family; there would be time for everything else later.

The car stopped in front of the house and Thorin helped Bilbo take the sleeping Theo inside and put him to bed while Bilbo greeted his parents.

"Goodnight," he heard them say as he walked downstairs and joined Bilbo in the kitchen.

"Thank you for watching Theo," Bilbo said the moment Thorin joined him. "I hope he wasn't too much trouble for you and that he didn't cause you any problems with your girlfriend."

"He was alright," Thorin assured him. "You are doing a wonderful job with him. He can be stubborn when he wants to be but other than that he is very well behaved." Bilbo only nodded at Thorin's words. "In these few short days I realized how much I miss him," Thorin continued and caught Bilbo's attention. "What I'm trying to say is, don't take it personally that I don't allow you to take him with you to college, I just don't want to be parted from him. I want you to go, but I'm not willing to give up Theodore for that. I hope you understand."

"Don't worry, I know," Bilbo assured him quietly. The house was quiet and the only ones up were the two of them. "Things are the way they are. I guess that I'm just never on the winning side. I mean look at you," Bilbo tried to smile. "You already finished your second year of college, one more year to go and you'll be able to help your father with his company. Marrying Dana will merge two of the biggest companies in the country. You have a bright future ahead of you."

"We're not engaged or anything," Thorin defended. "They're just rumors." Thorin ran his fingers through his hair, not knowing how to explain it. "I'm sacrificing myself for my family. Do you understand that? I'm not doing this because I want to, but because I _have_ to."

"And I have to get up early in the morning," said Bilbo and changed the subject. "Again, thank you for watching Theo. If you want you can come see him whenever you like, it's not like we'll be going anywhere."

Thorin promised to come visit before Bilbo walked him to the door where they said their goodbyes and then Thorin left.

:::

Bilbo was doing his best not to cry. He would not cry. He would not. He would face everything with his head held high. But it was hard, pretending that everything was okay when it really wasn't. Just another bump on the road. No big deal. Except that now he was completely lost and didn't know what to do next. Of course trying to find a new job would be one of the first things he was planning to do, though he knew that the chances were slim. Who would be willing to hire him with high-school education? He knew the answer to that. Especially now that the Durins' company had laid off so many workers, mostly in management, but still, he couldn't compete with skilled workers with years of experience and proper education.

And Theo would need new clothes and the daycare bill from last month still had to be paid… And that doctor's appointment when Theo got vaccinated – that bill still hadn't come and Bilbo was dreading its arrival. He wouldn't be able to pay it.

He quickly turned away from those thoughts when he approached Thorin's house. He would see his son and that would make him feel better, at least he hoped it would.

"Bilbo," greeted Nola, "what are you doing here so soon?"

"I came for Theo," Bilbo explained as he closed the back door. "Can I get him myself or are they having visitors?"

"Only the boys are home," Nola explained and Bilbo nodded before walking through the kitchen and almost crashing into Thorin at the bottom of the stairs.

"Papa!" came a very excited call from Theo who was in Thorin's arms wearing swimming trunks and had floaties on his arms.

"What are you doing here?" Thorin asked immediately and Bilbo forced himself to meet his eyes instead of staring at Thorin's broad chest.

"I came to pick up my son."

"You left him here not an hour ago," Thorin pointed out.

"Is his bag upstairs?" Bilbo asked as he walked past Thorin but the latter caught his arm.

"Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Thorin!" Kíli came running into the hose completely drenched leaving a wet trail behind him. "The water is amazing! What is taking you so long? Oh, hi Bilbo."

"Here take him," said Thorin and gave Theo to Kíli. "I need to talk with Bilbo."

"Don't get him wet," quickly said Bilbo. "We're leaving."

Thorin watched Bilbo run up the stairs, no doubt trying to get away as soon as possible. "You're not allowed to take him in the pool without adult supervision," Thorin told his younger brother. "Did I make myself clear?" he asked when Kíli wanted to protest.

"Fine, we'll wait for you," Kíli promised before Thorin went upstairs after Bilbo. "They're no fun," Kíli whispered to Theo and took him outside allowing Bilbo and his brother to talk in peace. Thorin followed Bilbo up to his room where he found him packing Theo's things. It was more than obvious that something happened that got Bilbo so upset and Thorin was determined to found out what. He closed and the doors behind him and cleared his throat to get Bilbo's attention.

"I think that's all," Bilbo said quickly and stuffed Theo's shirt in the bag. He wanted to leave but Thorin was standing between him and the doors and he knew he was trapped.

"What happened?" asked Thorin. "Theodore was supposed to stay with me this morning while you were at work, and now, here you are. Not even an hour later you're back trying to take him away from me."

"Nothing happened. I just came for my son because I want to spend the day with him."

"I repeat – you were supposed to be at work."

"Yes Thorin, I know! I was supposed to be at work! But I'm not! Can you let it go?"

"Did something happen while you were at work?"

"No. Can I please go?" Bilbo asked and tried to push past Thorin.

"Did they change your schedule? Are you working in the afternoon?" Bilbo tried to pull his arm from Thorin's hold with little success.

"I just want you to tell me what happened," Thorin said quietly.

Bilbo yanked his arm from Thorin's grip before fixing him with a glare. "I got fired! Now you know. Happy?!"

Thorin needed a moment to understand what Bilbo was saying. "What? Why?"

"Hm, I don't know, Thorin! Maybe because I have a high-school education and since I'm not a student I can't work there anymore! Does that make sense to you or would you rather I wrote it down for you?!"

"You don't need to yell at me."

"Then maybe you should have let me go sooner! Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to get my son."

Bilbo wanted to leave but Thorin stopped him again. "It's warm enough and I promised him we'd go swimming in the pool."

"And I promised my parents to help them pay the bills this month and look how it all turned out. I'm sorry, this is not your fault or your concern," said Bilbo quietly. "I just want to take Theo and leave. I can't stay here and I will go crazy if I go home alone. I promise to bring him tomorrow morning and you can spend the whole day in the pool with him if you want."

Thorin nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow."

:::

Telling Theo they had to leave was the easy part. Watching him pout for the rest of the day, not so much. But Bilbo couldn't stay, he needed to leave and he needed Theo with him so that he would keep his mind occupied. It came as a surprise when he was told he can't work at the grocery store anymore; not even his mother knew. There was nothing he could do except take his things and leave.

He needed a job. Any job would be fine, but the problem was that it was impossible to get one. If you were a student looking for a job they had no problem hiring you. But if you were a single parent with no intention to continue your schooling, that was something else.

Thorin was willing to help. He offered to watch Theo while Bilbo spent day after day looking for a job, without any success. By the end of the week Bilbo was exhausted and completely down.

"You should take the bus," Thorin advised him when he came for Theo in the evening. Thorin was getting ready to go out with his girlfriend when Bilbo came for their son. "He's already asleep. We had an exciting day and he was exhausted. He fell asleep the minute I put him down."

Bilbo collected Theo's stuff and put them in the bag. "I think I'll walk."

"He's asleep-" Thorin tried to repeat only to be interrupted.

"Yes, Thorin, I heard you the first time," Bilbo snapped at him.

"Then why don't you-"

"Because I don't have any money! I know that this is a little hard for you to understand but I'm completely broke. I had to pay the bill for the doctor's appointment Theo had a few weeks ago yesterday and even though it's hard to believe, I can't afford a bus ride home."

Thorin honestly didn't expect to hear that. "You had no luck finding a job?"

"No," sighed Bilbo. "There are a few places I haven't asked yet, but I don't think I'll get a different answer." He tried to put a brave face on, but he knew Thorin didn't buy it. "I'll try again tomorrow. I should go. I know you have a date tonight and I don't want to disturb you. Thank you for watching Theo and enjoy your evening."

:::

The next few days weren't any better and with each day gone Bilbo was getting more and more desperate. He wasn't able to find a job and he knew that by sitting at home he was only a burden to his parents. Theo got to spend more time with Thorin and soon Bilbo realized that his son didn't need him as much as he thought he did. Thorin was able to take care of him without any difficulties and with each passing day Theo was having more trouble saying goodbye to him.

For Bilbo this couldn't get any worse. He lived for his son and the fact that Thorin wasn't capable of taking care of him. But now everything changed. In two short weeks Thorin got Theo completely under control. He wasn't afraid anymore that he'd do something wrong and he didn't allow Theo's crocodile tears to manipulate him. When he said something he meant it and Theo obeyed without protest. The roles switched and now Thorin was the doting parent and Bilbo was the crazy person who left him in the morning and came to pick him up in the afternoon.

After three weeks Bilbo finally admitted defeat.

His heart was breaking but he had no other choice. He had to talk to Thorin and explain everything. He was hoping that his ex-boyfriend would understand his decision and to his surprise Thorin really did. So it was settled. He was going to college. If it sounded as a reward at the beginning, it now felt like a punishment. Something he needed to do because he had no other choice. He was leaving his family behind, he was leaving his son behind and that hurt the most. Theo was going to stay with Thorin who wasn't planning on taking summer classes and decided to spend the summer at home. In the fall when he was to return back to school Theo would spend the day in daycare and then someone – Thorin promised it would be him – would pick him up in the afternoon. Or at least that was the plan.

Bilbo would return home every month for a few days and Theo would get to spend them with him. He would also be able to call his son every day and see him over Skype. But that was it. He wouldn't be able to afford to come back more than once a month. He made a few calls and found a job near campus, but even though he wouldn't have to pay for his classes and his room he would still have to pay for food and everything else he would need. Not to mention that Thorin asked him to pay half of the bill for Theo's daycare every month. What a bastard! Bilbo never asked for his help when Theo lived with him and he was always short on money. Now that his son would live with one of the richest families in the country Bilbo would have to pay for the most expensive daycare one could find in town. Sadly he was in no position to complain or make demands. He would just have to find a way to get to money.

Everything was arranged in a few short days. All of Theo's things were moved to Thorin's house and all that was left to do was to say goodbye. At first Theo was excited to stay with Thorin over the night, but then he started asking questions and everything went downhill from there. He asked why they moved all of his toys and took all of his things. Bilbo found some excuse for that. But when asked when he was coming to pick him up the next day he couldn't lie and told his son that he was staying with his daddy for a while. For Theo it wasn't enough and he wanted to know how many days was a while and Bilbo told him that it was for some time. And that was when the crying started.

As much as Theo got used to spending time with Thorin, he still wanted Bilbo for everything that went wrong. If he fell, if he got scared… He always called for Bilbo. And now Bilbo was telling him he was leaving and that he had to stay with daddy, and Theo was crying his eyes out.

"You're going to miss your bus," Thorin reminded him from where he was standing at the doorway watching Bilbo trying to calm their crying son. Theo was already put to bed and Bilbo hoped that Theo would fall asleep before he would have to leave. The last thing he wanted to do was leave while his son was crying. He didn't want Theo to think he was abandoning him.

"Yes, Thorin, I know," said Bilbo before turning back to Theo who continued to cry in Bilbo's shirt, not wanting to let go.

"I offered to drive you to the bus station, but if we don't leave now we won't get there in time."

"I know. Just give me a couple more minutes."

"We don't have a couple more minutes. Just leave him, he'll calm down, or he'll exhaust himself and fall asleep."

Bilbo looked at his watch. He would miss his bus if he didn't leave. "I have to go," he told Theo and removed Theo's hands from his shirt, "or I'll miss my bus. I love you very much." He pressed a kiss to Theo's head and put him back on the bed and tucked him in. For a moment Theo's crying stopped and Bilbo thought that it was finally over. "I'll call you every day, okay?" Theo just stared at him and Bilbo hoped he wouldn't start crying.

"Ready?" asked Thorin again.

"Be good for daddy." Bilbo pressed a kiss to Theo's forehead, stood up and made his way to the door.

"Go to sleep," Thorin told him, before turning the lights off. He left the doors opened ajar and followed Bilbo who was doing his best not to start crying.

They didn't even made a few steps when Theo came crying after them. "Papa!"

Bilbo turned around immediately and scooped the crying child up in his arms. "I'm here, I'm here."

Theo wrapped his arms around his neck with no intention of letting go.

"You'll miss your bus," said Thorin angrily.

"I'll go in the morning," answered Bilbo and took Theo back to his room.

"You'll miss your classes if you leave in the morning."

"I can't just leave him. He needs me and I won't leave him like this."

Thorin tried to stay calm so he left Bilbo alone with their son. Bilbo took Theo back to his room and sat down on the bed. Theo refused to let go of him and decided to stay in his arms as long as he could. Bilbo ran his fingers through his son's hair and after ten minutes Theo calmed down, though he still refused to be put down on the bed.

Thorin returned while Bilbo was telling Theo a story, trying to get him to sleep, but without any success. The two-year-old was determined to not fall asleep and he continued to clutch to Bilbo as hard as he could.

"Time for bed, buddy," said Thorin and Theo tightened his hold on Bilbo. When Thorin approached him to put him in bed the crying started again and it was Bilbo's job to calm him down.

Thorin tried to be patient, he really did, but if they continued doing this the way Bilbo wanted Theo would never fall asleep. Thorin came back a couple of times in the next hour and a half and each time Theo started crying and refused to let go of Bilbo. And with each time Thorin came back he was more and more irritated to the point when he had enough.

He marched into the room and pulled Theo for Bilbo's arms before the latter could even voice a complaint.

"Thorin!" called Bilbo and hurried after Thorin down the stairs. Theo crying his eyes out and reaching for Bilbo. "Thorin! Where are you going? Thorin!"

Before Bilbo caught up with him Thorin was already in the garage strapping Theo into the car seat in the back of his car.

"Can you please explain to me what you're doing?" Bilbo demanded.

Thorin ignored him. He was completely focused on Theo who tried to kick him to get away, but Thorin strapped him into the car seat without any difficulties. "Stop crying," he ordered and pointed a finger at Theo's chest. The two-year-old stopped crying only for a moment and Thorin quickly closed the doors before the wailing continued.

"Do you have everything you need?" he asked Bilbo quickly.

"W-What? Yes. Why? Thorin? Where are you going?"

Thorin ignored him and made his way to the other side of the car. "Get in," he ordered before he sat in and started the car. Bilbo had no other choice but to do as he was told.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun today!
> 
> Thank you for all your lovely comments!
> 
> If you're bored find me on Tumblr.
> 
> Next chapter: Thorin moves in and the only one happy about it is Theo.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin moves in and the only one happy about it is Theo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big 'thank you' to Chamelaucium, who helped with this chapter.

They drove in silence. Theo stopped crying long ago and with the exception of occasional sniffing he didn't make a sound. Bilbo turned around to make sure he was okay every few minutes, but never said anything. He offered a reassuring smile to his son before turning his attention back on the road. Thorin ignored Bilbo's questioning looks. He needed to calm down before he did something that he'd regret later. He knew that Bilbo was probably wondering where he was driving them, but soon everything would make sense.

Thorin drove through the town – taking the long way to Bilbo's house. Or at least that's what Bilbo thought. He didn't know what Thorin had in mind, but when he turned the car to the highway he couldn't keep quiet anymore.

"Will you please let me know where we're going?" Bilbo asked but Thorin didn't answer. He kept his eyes on the road and continued to drive.

With each hour that passed Bilbo was getting a better idea to where Thorin was taking them.

"You okay, buddy?" Thorin asked when he noticed in the rear mirror how Theo was shifting in his seat. "Do you need anything?"

When Theo refused to answer Thorin finally pulled to a stop at the gas station.

"Do you need to use the loo?" Bilbo asked and Theo nodded.

"I'll take him," Thorin offered and got out of the car. Bilbo followed, wanting to stretch his legs a little. Thorin walked to the other side of the car and got Theo out of the car seat and lifted him up in his arms. The boy was still wearing his pajamas and was surprisingly still fighting sleep.

Theo started to cry and reached for Bilbo. "Papa…"

"It's okay, sweetheart, I'm here," Bilbo assured him and cupped his cheek with his hand. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Papa…"

"Theodore I'm sorry," Thorin apologized. "I didn't mean to yell at you nor am I angry at you." He wiped the tears from his son's face. "Can you forgive me?" Theo studied Thorin for a moment before nodding an wrapping his arms around his neck. Thorin smiled before placing a kiss on top of his head.

"You should take him to the toilet before he falls asleep," told him Bilbo. "He looks exhausted."

Thorin returned a couple of minutes later with an already sleeping Theo in his arms.

"You didn't have to do it, you know," Bilbo said as he put socks on his son's feet while he was sleeping in his father's arms. "I would have taken the bus in the morning. It'll be even harder for Theo to leave me there."

Thorin looked at the sleeping boy in his arms before speaking. "I packed his bag and few of his toys, if you haven't noticed."

"I did. Though I don't understand why. He doesn't need all that stuff for driving me to school and then going back."

"He's not going back," Thorin informed him and Bilbo's jaw dropped.

"I don't understand…"

"He is staying there with you. He's not going back with me. I'll send the rest of his stuff later."

Bilbo just stared at Thorin for the next couple of seconds. "You said you don't want me to take him away from you-"

"I did."

"Then why-"

"Because he needs _you_ more than he needs me." Bilbo stared at Thorin for a moment, not knowing what to say. "I'll stay a day so that you get both settled and then I'll leave."

"Thank you," said Bilbo after a minute. "You have no idea how much it means to me that Theo gets to stay with me."

"I do know," Thorin corrected. "I will be the one who won't get to see him."

Thorin's words hurt, but not in the way they hurt a week ago. Now it was Bilbo who would be keeping Theo and Thorin was the one who wouldn't. Bilbo knew exactly how Thorin felt right now but he decided not to say anything about it. Thorin made that decision and Bilbo wouldn't risk him changing his mind.

:::

They didn't speak much for the rest of the ride mainly because Theo was sleeping, but also because they had nothing to talk about. There was nothing Bilbo could say that would make Thorin feel better and Thorin didn't want to assure him he was okay with this because he really wasn't. This wasn't him doing some grand gesture, this was him doing his best for his son.

They arrived around one in the morning and after Bilbo got the keys Thorin took Theo in his arms and followed him into the building.

Bilbo unlocked the doors and turned on the lights of his new home for the next couple of months.

"This is it," he announced as he made his way to the small kitchen and turned the refrigerator on. "You can come inside you know."

Thorin stood at the doorway with Theo in his arms, not really knowing what to think. This 'apartment' was smaller than his room. There was a kitchen, a dining room, and a bedroom all in one room. There were no doors that would divide them, except for bathroom which thankfully was a separate room.

"You said this place was small, but nice. You never said it was this small," said Thorin as he stepped in and looked around.

"What did you expect? A hotel room?"

"No. I just thought it would be… bigger."

"It's big enough for me and Theo. We won't need more. Now help me make Theo's bed so we can put him down and then you can help me make my bed. We'll get the rest of my stuff from your car in the morning."

Thorin wanted to complain about Bilbo bossing him around until something hit him. "Your bed? Where am I going to sleep?"

"On the floor?" suggested Bilbo as he pulled the bedding from his bag.

Thorin shook his head. "I'm not sleeping on the floor. I drove for the past six hours and tomorrow I have to drive back. My back will kill me."

"There are enough blankets to make you comfortable," Bilbo said as he made Theo's bed.

"I'm not sleeping on the floor," repeated Thorin.

"Your car then."

"Not happening."

Bilbo looked at Thorin and then back to the double bed in the room. He wasn't in the mood the share his bed with Thorin. Especially because Theo's bed was right next to it. Not that he wasn't used to sleeping next to his son, it was just that in the last two years whenever he slept in the same bed as Thorin they usually had sex before. Sleeping with Thorin would just make everything awkward.

"I'm not sleeping with you!"

"Then you are free to sleep on the floor. Or my car, if that's what you prefer," Thorin added.

"Fine," snapped Bilbo back. "But you're sleeping on your side of the bed. And keep your hands to yourself!"

"Believe me when I say I have no intention of touching you."

Bilbo put Theo to bed before he went to the bathroom to change. When he came back he found Thorin folding his clothes, wearing nothing else except his underwear.

"W-what are you doing?" stammered Bilbo when he saw him. Thorin looked amazing in his underwear and Bilbo lost his ability to speak when all the blood left his brain. "Put something on!"

"It's hot and I didn't take anything to change with me."

"You can't sleep in your underwear!"

"Why not? We slept naked before."

Bilbo looked at his sleeping son for a second. "Theo is here-"

"Firstly, he saw me naked before and secondly, it's just like wearing swimming trunks," Thorin pointed out before climbing into bed. He lifted the covers up and waited for Bilbo to join him.

"Just stay on your side of the bed," Bilbo told him before joining Thorin under the covers. He way too tired to fight with him. He pulled the covers over himself and turned away from Thorin, showing him his back.

"Goodnight."

"Whatever," Bilbo snapped back as Thorin turned the lights off.

Bilbo had hoped that sleep would come easily, but it didn't. The bed felt strange and he could hear Thorin breathing behind him. It was nerve-wracking! He couldn't believe that he was once able to fall asleep next to him. He kept tossing and turning around looking for a colder and more comfortable position on the bed, without any real success. The bed was too small to be comfortable for two people to be sleeping in it together, except if they were cuddling, which was of course out of the question.

"Will you ever stop," Thorin finally muttered, his voice thick with sleep and Bilbo felt proud of himself that he managed to keep him awake. "Just go to sleep."

"I can't. This bed it's not comfortable and you're breathing," Bilbo hissed back just above whisper.

"Really? I'm breathing? That's one of the stupidest things I've heard you say."

"What do you want me to say?! You're breathing so loudly that we can count ourselves lucky Theo is still asleep!"

"Leave Theodore out of this," Thorin hissed back. He couldn't believe he was in bed with Bilbo, fighting. "This is between you and me. Or better said: this is your problem."

"How is this my problem? You're the one who's breathing loudly."

"Strangely you never noticed it before!"

Bilbo wanted to snap back when someone called for him.

"Papa?"

The anger immediately left Bilbo, who turned around only to find Theo standing next to the bed.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can't sleep."

"Would you like to sleep with me?" Bilbo asked softly and Theo nodded in response. He pulled his son on the bed and made space for him between him and Thorin.

"I thought you said you don't allow him to sleep with you," commented Thorin as Theo made himself comfortable on already too small bed.

"I don't," answered Bilbo. "Most of the time," he added quietly as he brushed some hair from his son's face.

"Most of the time?" questioned Thorin. "So with other words: you do allow him to sleep with you."

Theo snuggled closer to Bilbo and put a thumb in his mouth. "Of course I allow him to sleep with me. It's the easiest way to calm him down."

Thorin pulled Theo's thumb out of his mouth and the two-year-old let out a whine of protest, but didn't put it back in as he snuggled into Bilbo's chest. "Right. Now I know why he was so upset when I took him back to his bed when he came crying into my room in the middle of the night. Thank you for that."

"It's not my problem you don't know how to take care of him!"

"Tired," whined Theo before Thorin could say something back.

"I know, sweetheart, I'm sorry," said Bilbo before kissing his head. "Go to sleep. Goodnight, Thorin."

"Goodnight."

:::

Bilbo was first to be up in the morning. Theo and Thorin were sleeping peacefully so he decided to get a few things from Thorin's car and something to eat so that he wouldn't wake them up. When he returned Thorin was already awake.

"Good morning," said Bilbo as he put the things he purchased in the fridge. Some eggs and coffee would make a lovely breakfast.

"Morning," murmured Thorin from the bed, still refusing to get up. "What time it is?"

"Almost seven," informed him Bilbo.

"It's too early and I'm so tired. I want to sleep some more."

"Well you can't. I have to leave soon and you have to watch Theo while I'm gone."

"Why?"

"Because I have my classes this morning, remember? I'm going to find him a daycare by the time I come back, don't worry." Thorin muttered something that Bilbo didn't understand so he decided to ignore it. "Look at it like this: you'll get to spend the entire morning with Theo. You can look around, have some fun… Do whatever you like."

"Can't wait," mumbled Thorin as he got up from the bed. "I want to take a shower."

"You know where the bathroom is," Bilbo told him as he went through the kitchen cabinets trying to find a pan for the eggs. "But towels are in my bag in the car."

"That's your way of saying to get your bags, isn't it?" asked Thorin as he pulled his pants on.

"You can try to be useful a little and get the bags."

"I'm useful," Thorin argued. "I drove you here."

"Just get the rest of the bags from the car, Thorin. And don't forget to bring Theo's stuff. I expect him to be up soon."

"Great," said Thorin under his breath before he pulled a shirt over his head and left.

Bilbo found the right pan for the eggs and started making breakfast when there was a knock on the door. Strange, he thought. It couldn't be Thorin. Firstly, because Thorin wouldn't knock and secondly, because he couldn't be back so soon. Unless he forgot something… Which still wouldn't explain the knocking. Bilbo decided to just open the door and check who it is.

"I knew I saw you," said someone before Bilbo even had the chance to look at that person's face.

"Adrian," Bilbo greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I saw you this morning, but I wasn't sure if I saw right. So I followed you here. I asked around and they said that a family came in the middle of the night. I thought I was wrong, but still decided to check. And here you are!"

"Here I am," Bilbo smiled awkwardly.

"What are you doing here? I mean, why are you living here and not on the other side of the campus. We could have been neighbors, you know," continued Adrian.

"I'm not alone," said Bilbo. But before he had a chance to fully explain Theo pushed past Bilbo's legs, still wearing his pajamas, and looked up expectantly at Adrian who gaped at him. "This is my son," explained Bilbo. "His name is Theo and he'll be staying here with me. Say 'hi' to Adrian," encouraged Bilbo but the two-year-old just held his hand and stared at the stranger.

"Hi?" said Adrian awkwardly.

"Sorry," apologized Bilbo. "He just woke up."

Adrian nodded. "So you'll be staying here with your son and your…boyfriend?"

"Thorin and I are not together anymore. And to answer your question: only Theo will be staying with me."

"That's great?" said Adrian, not really knowing what to think of all this.

"Daddy!" suddenly called Theo and ran toward Thorin who just came up, carrying all the bags from the car.

"Hey buddy," smiled Thorin as Theo jumped excitedly around him, but his expression fell the moment he saw Bilbo talking with someone. "Theodore, go inside," Thorin ordered and the two-year-old obeyed without protest.

"Breakfast will be ready soon," Bilbo informed him as he stepped aside so that Thorin could enter. Bilbo received no answer from him, but the look Thorin sent him told him exactly what he thought.

"That was awkward," said Adrian to break the tension as Bilbo closed the doors so that Thorin wouldn't listen to their conversation. "Were you two always like that?"

"Things between us are…complicated. Please don't ask me to explain it to you."

"I won't ask if you don't want me to."

"Thank you."

"But I would like to see you again," smiled Adrian and Bilbo blushed. "How about getting a cup of coffee with me? Whenever you want. You can bring your son with you, I don't mind."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," admitted Bilbo. "I mean, I would like to get coffee with you, but without Theo. Don't get me wrong, I hardly know you and I need to trust you before I allow you to get close to my son."

"That's okay. So we have a date?"

"We have a date," smiled Bilbo.

The phone numbers were exchanged and then Bilbo excused himself. He had to make breakfast and then get ready for his first day. He promised to call Adrian the moment things would get settled and he would have some free time. Adrian seemed happy with the promise of seeing him in the future and left after saying goodbye.

Bilbo was glowing with happiness when he entered the room. And Thorin hated it.

"You've been here for a few days and you've already found yourself a fuck buddy. I'm not surprised!" commented Thorin dryly and Bilbo had to hold himself back not to slap him on the spot.

"He's not my…" he trailed off when he saw Theo watching them. "I just met him," he continued.

"It didn't look like it," Thorin pointed out. "You looked very familiar with him."

"He asked me to go to lunch with him when I was here last time," Bilbo explained calmly. Yelling wouldn't make things any better.

"And I imagine you didn't tell him you have _a son_?"

"He knows," corrected Bilbo. "He asked to meet him."

"Out of the question!" erupted Thorin. "You can't be in your right mind right now. You can just allow a complete stranger to be around my son!"

"I'm not allowing it. I told him that until I get to know him better and I can trust him I don't want him to spend time with Theo. And stop yelling at me, I did nothing wrong."

"I'm telling you right now that I don't want him anywhere near my son."

"What gives you the right-"

"The same rules apply," interrupted Thorin. "You don't want Dana near him, fine, and I don't want that guy near him. Simple as that."

"Fine," Bilbo sighed.

Thorin studied him for a moment. "Does that mean that you won't see him again?"

"Of course I'm going to see him again. He asked me to get coffee with him and I said yes. You can tell me he's not allowed near Theo, but you can't forbid me to see him. Besides he's the only person who showed some interest in me. He's not looking at me like there's something wrong with me."

_I showed interest in you,_ Thorin wanted to say. "I don't think leaving Theo here with you was such a good idea. You promised to take care of him not to sleep around with anyone who shows interest in you."

"I'm more than capable of taking care of him. I was for the past two years and you never had any problems with it. But the moment I met someone who wants to get to know me, I'm suddenly not? Is that what are you trying to say? Because that's how it looks, Thorin. It's either this, or you are such a pig you don't want to see me happy. You moved on, am I not allowed to do the same?"

"You'll end up getting hurt," said Thorin quietly. "And that will affect Theodore."

"When was the last time I've let _any_ of my troubles affect Theo?" Thorin didn't answer him. "I'm going out with Adrian whether you like it or not. I'll make sure that Theo won't come into contact with him again, but that's all I'm promising."

After a minute of uncomfortable silence Thorin went to take a shower without saying anything and Bilbo went back to preparing breakfast with a very excited Theo jumping around him. Apparently his son got enough sleep and was now like a bomb ready to explode. Bilbo couldn't help but to feel at least a little sorry for Thorin who would have to keep him under control for the rest of the day.

The breakfast was awkward affair. Neither Bilbo nor Thorin spoke during it. The only one who seemed happy with having both of his parents around was Theo.

Bilbo left shortly after with a kiss on Theo's cheek and a quick look at Thorin who did his best to ignore him. Bilbo couldn't help but feel bad about their fight and be angry at Thorin at the same time. Did he not deserve the same happiness? Was he supposed to stay alone forever and take care of Theo? That just wasn't fair! He would respect Thorin's wishes and keep Adrian away from Theo, but he wouldn't stop seeing him just because Thorin didn't want him to.

The classes ha had were interesting, but he couldn't really focus on them. His mind keep drifting to Thorin and their son and he couldn't help but think about what they were doing. He wanted to go see them during his lunch break but a few of his new classmates asked him to join them and the offer was too good to say no.

He finally got back to them in the late afternoon. Theo was playing with his toys on their bed and Thorin was doing something on his phone. _Probably texting with his girlfriend,_ his mind supplied.

"Have you eaten?" was the first thing Bilbo asked when he walked in.

"Mhm…"

Bilbo raised an eyebrow. "You actually prepared a meal?"

"Of course not," Thorin said absentmindedly, not taking his eyes of the phone.

"So you let him starve all day? What's wrong with you?!" Bilbo exclaimed and hurried to check on Theo who didn't even notice him parents fighting.

"We ate outside," informed him Thorin.

"Sweetheart, are you okay? Are you hungry?"

"He's not hungry," Thorin told him as Theo shook his head.

Bilbo lifted Theo from the bed and rested him on his hip. "Excuse me if I don't believe you. All I asked you to do was take care of him for a few hours and you couldn't even do that."

"I did take care of him. He's fine," argued Thorin. "It's you who always makes a big deal out of it."

Bilbo rolled his eyes as he walked to the kitchen, looking for a snack. He almost dropped Theo when he saw the cabinets fully stocked. "Don't tell me they deliver groceries here?"

"No," said Thorin plainly. "Theo and I did the shopping."

Bilbo stared at Thorin for a moment not knowing what to think. "You did the shopping?"

"Yes, me and Theo. Didn't you hear me the first time?"

"I heard you, I just didn't believe you."

"Down," Theo demanded and Bilbo let him down so he could go back to playing with his toys.

"When are you leaving?" asked Bilbo as he got an apple out of the fridge.

"Did you find him a daycare?"

"I did. You didn't answer me," Bilbo reminded him. "When are you planning to leave? I think you should wait until Theo goes to sleep."

"Hm?"

Thorin wasn't paying attention to anything that Bilbo was saying. "I said you should leave after Theo goes to sleep."

"Hm?" Thorin stood up and finally put his phone down. "Oh, I'm not leaving," he told Bilbo as he joined him in the kitchen area to get something to drink.

"Excuse me?"

"I bought him that pudding that he likes. It's in the fridge."

Bilbo looked surprised. "This isn't about the pudding! And I don't allow him to eat it."

"It won't kill him," Thorin pointed out.

"What do you mean you're not leaving?" Bilbo questioned as he followed Thorin back to their - no, _his_ bed.

"It means I'm not leaving," Thorin replied lazily as he laid down on the bed next to Theo.

"You can't be serious?!"

"I'm serious. Am I not, Theo?"

"Yes!" the two-year-old smiled and Bilbo rolled his eyes.

"You can't possibly stay! What are you going to do? Lay here all day and do nothing?"

"Of course not. I'm taking summer classes here, just like you are."

Bilbo wanted to scream and jump and make a tantrum like a child. "You didn't even apply!"

"Of course I did. If you don't believe me you can ask Theo. He was there with me today."

"Your father will never allow you to go to college here and there's no way he'll pay for this," reasoned Bilbo.

"What the old man doesn't know won't kill him. Besides he won't have to pay for anything. I took care of it." Bilbo stared at Thorin waiting for an explanation. "I went to the administration office, gave them some hearted spiel about my family and how hard it is to live with them and that you are my light at the end of a tunnel… Long story short, I get to stay," Thorin smiled as Bilbo gaped at him. "Oh, and I registered us as a couple. It made things a whole lot easier and we'll get an even bigger place next week. Plus our schedules will ensure that we see each other as little as possible. You have your classes in the morning and I have mine in the afternoon. This way I get to sleep longer in the mornings. Isn't that amazing?"

"No! No, it's not! What were you thinking? You can't stay here!"

"Why? Because of Adrian?"

"This isn't about Adrian! It's about the fact that you are trying to ruin things for me."

"Shush," Thorin hushed him; he was having the time of his life. "This college supports young families. And we are a young family. We have to stick together to raise our son. It's important that we work together and that we create harmony in our home-"

"Oh shut up!" Bilbo cut him off. "You read that in a brochure!"

Thorin offered him a smile. "Whether you like it or not we are a family and whether you like it or not I'm staying here with you both. So I advise you to get used to the idea as soon as possible."

:::

Adrian didn't really know what to think. This whole thing felt weird and he couldn't help but worry for Bilbo who called him at the end of his nerves asking him to meet him as soon as possible. Of course Adrian was happy to receive Bilbo's call so soon but he was hoping it would be under different circumstances.

"Here," he said as he put a cup of tea in front of Bilbo to calm his nerves. "Drink, you'll feel better."

They agreed to meet at the coffee shop near the campus.

"Thank you for coming so quickly."

"No problem," said Adrian as he sipped his coffee. "You didn't sound okay and I got worried. Drink it," he encouraged. "You'll feel much better."

"I just can't believe it, you know. I can't believe he would do something like that to me."

"Maybe his intentions are true," said Adrian though he knew almost nothing about Bilbo's ex.

"You don't know Thorin like I do. He doesn't do anything that doesn't benefit him. He did it to annoy me," Bilbo argued.

"That's one of the possible explanations."

"There are no other explanations. He's a pig and I hate him so much! This isn't about Theo or getting education. This is him trying to ruin my life. Can't he just leave me alone already?"

"Maybe," said Adrian quietly.

"Excuse me? You don't believe me?"

"It's not that I don't believe you… It's just that… Look, while it's possible that Thorin is doing this for Theo, it's also possible he's doing this because he wants to annoy you. He could be doing this to finish at least some classes before returning home, or…"

"Or?"

"He's jealous," shrugged Adrian.

"What?"

"He's jealous," Adrian repeated. "Don't tell me you don't see it. The way he looks and talks to you. I was there with you for a minute maybe and he wanted to kill me because I spoke to you. He's jealous and has that written all over his face. It really couldn't be more obvious."

"Oh…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your lovely comments!
> 
> If you're bored find me on Tumblr.
> 
> Next chapter: Thorin and Bilbo get to spend some time together. Thorin gets a phone-call in the middle of the night.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin and Bilbo get to spend some time together. Thorin gets a phone-call in the middle of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big 'thank you' to [Chamelaucium](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Chamelaucium), who helped with this chapter.

“You're jealous!” said Bilbo as he barged into the bathroom where Thorin was giving Theo a bath. Adrian had advised him not to do it; he'd even tried to stop him but Bilbo didn’t listen. He needed to talk with Thorin and find out the truth. “You’re jealous,” he repeated as Thorin lifted Theo from the bath and wrapped him in a towel.

“Go wait for me on the bed,” Thorin told Theo and the two-year-old happily ran to his parents bed.

“Answer me,” Bilbo demanded as he stood at the doorway preventing Thorin to leave.

“What do you want to know?” Thorin sighed.

“Are you jealous? Are you jealous of Adrian? Is that why you decided to stay here with me and Theo? Because you don’t want me to go out with someone else?”

Thorin tried to push past Bilbo, but the younger man didn’t move.

“Why does it matter?”

“Just answer me, please. Do you love me?”

Thorin fixed Bilbo with a glare. “Even if I tell you, it won’t change a thing.”

“No, you’re wrong,” Bilbo argued and once again prevented Thorin from leaving. “It changes everything.”

“How? You won’t go out with Adrian anymore?”

“If you love me, you need to tell me. Please,” he added just above whisper.

“Why?”

“Because I’ll wait. I’ll wait for as long as it takes to have you. And I’ll fight. I’ll fight for _us_.”

Thorin swallowed a lump in his throat. “And why would you do that?”

“Because I love you,” Bilbo admitted quietly. “And I’ll love you forever. But I can’t fight against whatever you're fighting with alone. I’m not that strong. If there's hope for us to be together then I’ll hold on to it as long as possible. But if not… If you don’t feel that way, you need to tell me. You can’t keep doing this to me. Telling me you love me and then pretend nothing happened between us.” Bilbo now had tears falling down his cheeks and Thorin was having trouble holding his back. “Acting jealous when I speak to someone and then act like nothing has happened. Don’t you see how much you’re hurting me every time you do something like that? If you don’t love me you need to let me go…”

Thorin remained silent for a minute and kept his eyes locked with Bilbo’s. “I’m in a relationship with Dana,” he said quietly. “We decided to get married next summer.”

Bilbo closed his eyes for a moment and even more tears fell. When he finally looked up he saw that Thorin was still looking at him so he quickly wiped the tears away.

“I’m sorry,” Thorin apologized.

Bilbo nodded as he wiped the rest of the tears away. After all this time he finally gathered courage to tell Thorin how he really felt, only to be rejected. Maybe it was better this way. Now he knew things were over between them for good. “Congratulations. I hope you two will be very happy together.” He couldn’t believe he was able to sound so sincere. Maybe because he was. All he wanted was for Thorin to be happy.

“Thank you. I would still very much like to stay here with you and Theo.”

“Of course. You’re welcome to stay. He’s your son too.” Bilbo was doing his best to pull himself back together.

“I won’t stay between you and Adrian anymore. If you wish to pursue your relationship with him then you have my blessing. You can take Theo out with you next time so that they’ll get to know each other.”

“And maybe Theo should spend some time with Dana. She’s going to be your wife so you’re going to spend a lot of time together. And with all the children you two will decide to have.”

Bilbo once again found the ceiling interesting as he continued to look up to avoid looking at Thorin and to hold back his tears.

“I should… I should finish dressing Theo.”

“Of course,” said Bilbo and stepped aside, allowing Thorin to pass. “And I should make dinner.”

Thorin nodded before he went after Theo. “You know,” he said as he stooped and looked back at Bilbo for a moment. “I’m glad we talked.”

“Me too,” whispered Bilbo as he watched Thorin tend to their son.

:::

Thorin was having trouble sleeping that night. Things were finally over between them. _You wanted that,_ his traitorous mind supplied. Gods… He didn’t want it. He didn’t want to see Bilbo so unhappy. He wanted to kiss him and tell him that he loved him too, and that they could be together forever, but he needed to help his family first. Bilbo would do better without him there. It was about time they let each other go, no matter how much it hurt.

“Can’t sleep?” asked Bilbo quietly and Thorin immediately turned around so that he was facing him.

“No,” he admitted. “I guess I just have a lot on my mind tonight.”

“Yeah, me too,” sighed Bilbo.

“Do you think I'm making a mistake?”

“You decided to move on,” Bilbo reminded him. “If she makes you happy then you should be with her.”

“But what if I want to be with someone else?”

“Thorin,” sighed Bilbo, not willing to go through the emotional roller-coaster once again. “You told me you’re getting married-“

“Nothing is set in stone,” Thorin interrupted.

“I know. But you can’t keep doing this to me. You can’t change your mind every few hours. If you promised to marry her then that’s what you should do. You never promised me anything.”

“I promised to love you forever, and you did the same. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“I never said I stopped loving you, it’s just that this love hurts too much. That’s why I’m letting it go.”

“Just know that I’m doing this for my family. Please don’t ask me to explain because I can’t, not right now anyway. I just want you to know-“

“I know,” assured him Bilbo quietly as their hands found each other. And he did know. They loved each other, simple as that. But something was pulling them apart and they couldn’t be together. Maybe the time wasn’t right.

After a minute of just lying in bed, holding hands, Bilbo moved closer until he felt Thorin’s arm around his waist that pulled him the rest of the way until he was pressed into Thorin’s chest. How he missed sleeping like that. He snuggled into Thorin’s chest and allowed him to hold him closed as they both slowly drifted to sleep.

:::

A week later Thorin found himself doing the grocery shopping once again, but this time with Bilbo. They moved to a bigger place few days ago and Bilbo was absolutely thrilled to have a fully equipped kitchen. More space meant that Bilbo felt the need to fill every cabinet with food. Thorin rolled his eyes but still accompanied Bilbo to the supermarket. What mattered to him the most was a bigger bed (though he and Bilbo still slept together things weren’t as awkward between them as they were before, even when they woke up snuggled together, which happened almost every morning) and the TV they now had. Thorin had to admit he missed watching TV.

“Remind me again, why am I here?”

“I don’t know,” sighed Bilbo. “You decided to come to make my day miserable.”

“Why did you take Theodore with you?” asked Thorin as he followed Bilbo around with Theo in his arms. Their son absolutely hated sitting in the shopping cart. “You could have just left us at home.”

“I wanted Theo with me. Is that such a bad thing? Besides, someone needed to do the shopping since all you can do is complain every day that you don’t have bread for breakfast and that you’re running out of coffee. Since I’m free this morning I decided to grant you a wish and bring you bread for breakfast.”

“But I’m here with you,” pointed out Thorin. “I don’t see how you're doing me a favor.”

“If you'd stayed at home then this would be a favor.” Bilbo continued to push the shopping cart as he checked the list. “We need milk and tea. And Theo is running out of nappies.”

“No nappies,” protested the two-year-old.

“You’re still having trouble during the night so we are buying you nappies,” told him Bilbo. Theo made a face and Thorin couldn’t help but laugh. Their son was exactly like Bilbo when he didn’t like something.

“So that’s it? That’s all we need?”

“Sugar, flour… I need a new toothbrush,” Bilbo went on. “Porridge for Theo.”

“Why doesn’t he get cereals for breakfast like most of the children his age do?”

“Because it’s full of sugar and the last thing I want is an energy bomb. Besides, he likes porridge, don’t you Theo?”

Theo shook his head. “Yuck!”

“See, he doesn’t like it.”

“He still eats it,” Bilbo answered back.

“Because you give him no choice. I don’t understand why you worry so much. I spend the mornings with him. If he becomes hyperactive then he’ll be my problem to deal with.”

“I want him to start the day with something healthy.”

“You are a hypocrite, you know that. You put so much sugar in your tea in the morning, and those chocolate bars you’ve been hiding…” Bilbo just stared at Thorin. “Yes, I know about those too.”

“It’s none of your business what I eat for breakfast.”

“Then don’t force Theo to have porridge for breakfast. It won’t hurt him if he actually gets something good to eat for a change.”

Bilbo rolled his eyes and pushed the cart forward. He wasn’t even looking where he was going because watching Thorin with Theo and being very angry at him seemed like a better thing to do.

“Ouch!”

“I’m so sorry,” Bilbo apologized quickly and turned around to see who he'd hit. “Adrian? What are you doing here?”

“You better watch where you’re going, Speed driver,” smiled Adrian. “You’re going to kill someone with that.”

“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“Clearly.”

“So, what are you doing here?”

Adrian shrugged. “Isn’t it obvious? Came to buy a few things I need. You came alone?”

“No, I’m here with Theo and Thorin,” Bilbo said and motioned to the pair.

“Oh,” said Adrian with surprise. “I believe we haven’t been introduced yet. I’m Adrian, it’s nice to meet you.”

Thorin shifted Theo in his arms so that he could shake Adrian’s hand. Bilbo knew it was too good to be true. “The same,” said Thorin with as much sarcasm as possible.

“You could have at least say it like you mean it,” Bilbo hissed at him, completely ignoring Adrian’s presence.

“Why? I don’t mean it. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to find something extremely unhealthy for my son’s breakfast.”

Bilbo watched Thorin walk away with anger burning inside him. He was furious!

“He’s nice,” commented Adrian dryly. “You two seem to be getting along better. Finally worked out your differences?”

“Nope,” answered Bilbo. “We’re still at each other’s throats.”

“That’s always nice to hear,” Adrian smiled as he joined Bilbo while he did the shopping. “Theo seems happy to have you both around.”

“He does, doesn’t he,” Bilbo wondered. “I think he’s the only one truly happy that me and Thorin live together.” It was true, Theo was very pleased to have both his parents around. But most of all he was happy to have their full attention, that was when they were not arguing with each other, not that he minded. But for Bilbo and Thorin living together with Theo wasn’t as easy as they'd thought especially because their son knew exactly who to ask when he wanted something. Most of the arguments of the past week were about that. Bilbo insisted on one thing, Thorin on something completely different. It was crucial that they appeared like they agreed on everything because Theo knew exactly which of his parents would allow something while the other wouldn't.

“And you? Are you happy?”

Bilbo sighed as he pushed the cart and Adrian followed him. “I like it here. The classes are interesting and I’ve met some really nice people-“

“I meant if you are _happy_ ,” Adrian interrupted. “The last time we saw each other you were angry at Thorin-“

“He’s getting married,” Bilbo informed him quickly. There, it was out now, there was no need for him to pretend anymore. “They're getting married next summer.” He forced out a laugh. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I know I shouldn’t be upset about this but it just makes me so angry. I’ve lost him, I’ve lost him for good. I’m happy that he has found someone to share his life with, I’m just angry it’s not me. I’m angry because I wasn’t enough.”

Adrian didn’t know what to do or say next. He wanted to hug him and tell him that everything was going to be fine but he wasn’t sure if that was the right thing to do or if his comfort would be welcomed by Bilbo. Luckily it was Bilbo who closed the distance between them and hugged him. Adrian wrapped his arms around Bilbo’s shaking body, knowing he needed someone to hold him close.

They stood there for a minute until Bilbo pulled away and apologized. “I’m sorry, this was really inappropriate. We hardly know each other and I’m sharing all my problems with you. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Adrian took Bilbo’s hands in his. “You don’t have to apologize. I understand, and I’m glad I can offer you some comfort. I want you to tell me all your troubles, I want to be there for you, if you’ll have me.”

“I-I…” stammered Bilbo. “It’s too soon and I hardly know you. Besides, you have absolutely no idea what would you be dealing with. Because it’s not just me, there’s also Theo and Thorin and…”

Bilbo finally stopped talking when Adrian pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I think I can get your son to like me and Thorin is not as intimidating as he thinks he is. All I’m asking is that you give me a chance.”

Bilbo studied Adrian for a moment before speaking. “We could start by being friends,” he offered.

“I would like that very much.”

“You can invite me to a cup of coffee tomorrow, after classes.”

Adrian smiled at him. “Would you like to get a cup of coffee tomorrow with me?”

Bilbo’s mood brightened. “I would love to.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Adrian pressed another kiss to Bilbo’s cheek. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”

“You too,” said Bilbo as Adrian left.

Finally some peace and quiet. Now if he could just find Thorin and Theo that would be amazing.

“Bilbo?”

Bilbo immediately recognized that voice. “What are _you_ doing here?” he asked annoyed when he turned around to face Bofur.

“Shopping?”

“No, I mean what are you doing here? Why are you in the Iron Hills? Are you stalking me?”

Bofur looked confused. “No, I go to school here. I've been here for over a year.”

“But why did you have to chose this school?” groaned Bilbo.

“My family moved here. Remember? I told you about it when you were still speaking to me.”

Bilbo had to admit that Bofur did tell him about moving to Iron Hills, but that was over a year ago, and since they'd never spoken since then he completely forgotten about it. “You might have said something about it.”

“So what are you doing here?”

“I go to school here.”

“That’s nice. Are you here alone-“ Before Bofur had a chance to finish his question Thorin returned.

“You. What are you doing here. Dealing with one idiot was more than enough-“

“-Hey, don’t insult me-“ warned Bofur.

“-But now there are two,” continued Thorin.

“Three,” muttered Bilbo under his breath, but Thorin heard him and shot him a look.

“I can’t believe you’re both here. Together.”

“Yes, we’re here together,” Thorin confirmed and stood next to Bilbo. “Problem?”

“No, not at all,” answered Bofur. “I glad you two are back together.”

“We’re not back together,” corrected Bilbo and pushed Thorin’s hand off his shoulder. “He’s here so he can annoy me. Why did you and your family move here?”

“My parents got fired.”

“Wait, I thought they were working for Durin’s family company.”

“They were,” confirmed Bofur. “But last year they started laying off workers and my parents were one of them.”

“I’m so sorry, I had no idea and Thorin hasn’t said a thing.”

“I believe there are many things he doesn’t tell you,” commented Bofur and looked at Thorin before focusing on Theo. “I haven’t seen him for over a year. He has grown a lot since I last saw him.”

“The last time you saw him he wasn’t even walking, now he’s like an energy bomb when he wants to be.”

“Hi, Theo,” smiled Bofur, but the two-year-old hid his face in his father’s neck.

“He doesn’t remember you, that’s why he’s shy.”

“I’m sure he’ll grow out of it soon,” said Bofur. “Well, it was nice seeing you all. I’m sure we’ll bump into each other soon since we’re all here.”

“Can’t wait,” Thorin muttered and Bilbo sent him a look.

“I’ll see you soon.”

Surprisingly it was Theo who waved Bofur in goodbye.

“Why did his parents get fired, Thorin?!” asked Bilbo.

“Some people were laid off, that’s all I know,” brushed it off Thorin hoping Bilbo won’t ask more questions.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” Thorin waved a box of cereals in front of him. “Froot loops, really?”

“Theodore chose them, not me,” defended Thorin.

“Of course he did.”

“Yummy!”

When he saw how excited Theo was Bilbo couldn’t stay angry at Thorin for long. “Fine, he can have them. But you better behave or you’re both getting porridge for breakfast.”

“Have we ever let you down,” Thorin mocked before following Bilbo to finish their shopping.

:::

Bilbo couldn’t believe this was happening. It was the middle of the night and Thorin’s phone had been ringing for the past two minutes and it looked like it was going to ring until someone answered it. It was a miracle Theo was still asleep with all that noise around him.

“Thorin,” Bilbo called and nudged Thorin to wake up. “Your phone is ringing.”

“Mhm,” mumbled Thorin into the pillow. He was awake and he'd heard the phone but he had no intention of answering it. Whatever it was it could wait for a few more hours.

“Thorin, just answer your phone,” Bilbo ordered.

“Papa?”

Too late, Bilbo thought as he turned on the bedside table lamp. Theo was already getting of his bed, no doubt he'd want to sleep with them. Bilbo reached over Thorin so that he could grab his phone before answering it. “Hello?” He helped Theo on their bed and pulled him in his lap as he listen what the person on the other side of the phone had to say.

When suddenly everything went quiet Thorin knew something was wrong. The moment he turned around Bilbo offered him the phone. “I think you should take this. It’s about your father,” he said as he handed over the phone and tightened his hold on Theo.

“Hello? Yes, this is him.”

Bilbo listened Thorin talk as he was holding Theo close. Thorin’s expression changed and Bilbo knew that the news he received weren’t good.

“Yes, I understand. Yes, thank you, I’ll inform the others.”

The call ended and Thorin turned around to find Bilbo looking at him, waiting for an explanation. “My father is in hospital.”

“What happened?”

“Panic attack, stress… They’re not sure. He probably forgot to take his pills and it was just too much to take. His assistant found him and called an ambulance.”

“I didn’t know your father is sick,” said Bilbo as he ran his fingers through Theo’s hair to keep them both calm.

“He’s not. Not that I know of. All I know is that he’s taking the pills for high blood pressure, but that’s it. I never knew it was this serious. I mean, he hit his head when he fell and he has concussion, they're keeping him in, and they needed to call a family member to inform the others.”

Bilbo listened Thorin ramble as he continued to pace up and down to room. Thorin was a mess, Bilbo knew that. Even though he didn’t get along well with his father lately, it was still his father and Bilbo knew that he was worried. “Calm down, Thorin, everything is going to be alright.”

“This is my father, Bilbo,” said Thorin, his hands shaking. “He could have died.”

“But he didn’t,” Bilbo reminded him and put Theo down on their bed, before making his way to Thorin and taking his hands. “He’s going to be alright, you’ll see. What are you planning on doing? ”

Thorin took a deep breath to calm down. “First I'm going to call my mum and tell her, and then I’m going back. I need to see him and make sure he’s okay.”

“Alright,” Bilbo agreed and cupped Thorin’s cheek. “And I’m going with you.”

“No, you can’t. You cannot leave Theodore here and you have classes in the morning.”

“Theo’s going with us. I can leave him with my mother for a few hours. You’re not going alone.”

Thorin nodded in agreement. Part of him was happy that he wasn’t going alone, but the other part of him knew that sooner or later Bilbo would find out the truth. They were ready in record time and soon Theo was peacefully sleeping in the car as they drove back home. Bilbo and Thorin didn’t speak much. Mostly because there was nothing to talk about. Thorin tried to focus on getting them home safely while his thoughts kept drifting to his father. They'd had their differences, but this was still his father who was in the hospital, something that he just couldn’t ignore so easily.

:::

It was morning when they finally arrived. Theo was awake, blabbing about something that Bilbo was pretending to listen to, when Thorin parked the car.

“Hungry,” Theo complained when Bilbo took him out of the car and rested him on his hip.

“I know baby. We’re going to get something to eat as soon as we see grandpa.”

“Why is grandpa here?”

“Because he wasn’t feeling well, and when people don’t feel well they go to the hospital,” Bilbo explained as he followed Thorin inside.

“Is he sick?”

“No, honey, he’s just not feeling well.”

“Okay.” Theo wrapped his arms around Bilbo’s neck as he was carried inside.

After a quick check at the information desk Thorin got the information he needed and with Bilbo’s help they quickly found the ward they were looking for.

“Thorin!”

Before he even had a chance to react he had his arms full of his girlfriend who was very happy to see him.

“I missed you so much,” Dana told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “You have no idea how much I missed you.” When she kissed him again Bilbo looked away. It was rude to stare and this was their private moment and he felt like he was imposing by being there.

“And look,” said Dana as she pulled back and showed him a new diamond ring on her finger. “Since our engagement was a quick thing I decided to buy something for myself. What do you think?”

“It’s nice,” Thorin commented without any real interest.

“Of course it’s nice, it’s an engagement ring which you bought me.” Thorin gaped at her. “Don’t look at me like that, I deserved it since you proposed without it.”

Bilbo’s stomach twisted at the thought of Thorin proposing to Dana. He didn’t know any details but he supposed it was a very special moment for both of them.

“You can’t just buy yourself a ring with my money without asking me first,” Thorin told her as he tried to keep calm.

“I’m not giving it back, if that’s what you’re trying to tell me,” she told he visibly offended.

Thorin wanted to argue but one quick glance at Bilbo told him to calm down and let it go. They had more important matters to attend to.

“Fine, keep the damn ring,” he said as he pushed past her and stormed down the hallway to the waiting room where his family was gathered.

“So Bilbo, what do you think,” she asked after Thorin stormed away.

“I’m not an expert,” Bilbo tried. He didn’t want to look hurt by the fact that she was wearing Thorin’s engagement ring, so to speak. “Like Thorin said: it’s nice.”

“We’re getting married,” Dana told him happily and Bilbo tightened his hold on Theo. “Next summer!”

“Yes, I heard. Congratulations. I wish you all the best.”

“Thank you. You’ll be invited, of course. Thorin will probably want Theo there so I guess we’ll invite you both. If he tells my parents about him first. I don’t know why he refuses to do so. I mean, it’s not like they care. Me getting Durin’s last name and securing a place in the family is the most important thing to them.”

“I don’t understand,” said Bilbo confused.

“Never mind, I've already told you too much.” She offered him one of her fake smiles before joining the rest of the family.

:::

“Did you see the ring on her finger?” asked Kíli as he bounced Theo on his knees. He didn’t get to spend a lot of time with his nephew lately and he loved making Theo giggle and laugh.

“I did,” Bilbo confirmed who was sitting on a plastic chair next to him, hoping that Theo wouldn’t throw up the yogurt he had for breakfast all over Kíli’s shirt. Though, with the way Kíli was bouncing him on his knees he was almost sure it would happen.

“Cost a damn fortune. A gold-digger, that’s what she is.”

“It’s not like you can’t afford it,” Bilbo commented. “Give him to me before he throws up,” he said as he took Theo and settled him in his lap. “You’re loaded with money.”

Kíli let out a laugh.

“What? We both know that’s true. This ring is probably nothing to you.”

“You’re hilarious, you know that?”

Bilbo sent him a look before putting Theo down. “Come, let’s go see what daddy is doing,” he said as he took his hand.

“Are we going to stay here?”

“No, we’re going to see grandma and grandpa after we are done here.”

“I miss them!” Theo announced happily as he skipped next to Bilbo.

“They miss you too. I’m sure they’ll try to spoil you as much as they can.”

“What is spoil you means?”

“What does it mean?” corrected Bilbo before thinking for a moment how to explain to his son. “It means you’ll get a lot of candy and other things I don’t allow you to eat.”

“Yay!”

“Yay!” repeated Bilbo after Theo. “Now let’s go find daddy an ask him when can we leave.”

Theo quickly pointed at Thorin who was standing at the reception desk talking with the nurse.

“…The most I can do is postpone it for a month, that’s all,” Bilbo heard the nurse explain as he joined Thorin.

“Everything okay?”

“Hm? Yeah, everything’s fine,” Thorin answered as he lifted Theo up in his arms.

The two-year-old immediately wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. “When can we go home?”

“Soon,” Thorin promised.

The nurse returned with a paper which she offered to Thorin to sign, which Thorin did.

“That’s all?”

“Yes, that’s all.”

Bilbo looked at the nurse and then back to Thorin, not knowing what to think. Thorin offered the nurse a smile before leading Bilbo back to the waiting room.

“Did you take care of it?” was the first thing Valla asked as he approached them.

“Yes, don’t worry. The payment has been delayed for a month,” Thorin explained.

“We’ll still have to find the way to get the money. We’re running out of things to sell. And you told Dana to buy herself a ring.”

“I told her to chose one, not to buy it,” corrected Thorin. “And we’re not moving the wedding forward,” he quickly added when he saw that his mother wanted to say something.

“What’s going on?” Bilbo demanded, suddenly feeling like he didn’t know them at all. Why were they suddenly talking like they were poor?

“I’ll explain everything to you later.”

“When are you going back?” his mother asked.

“In the evening. Dad will be released in the late afternoon and I’ll help you get him home, but then we have to go back. I’m taking Bilbo to his parents and then I’ll come back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never imagined I would get so many comments, so thank you!
> 
> I couldn't find Froot loops in the supermarkets where I live. That's disappointing.
> 
> Next chapter: Bilbo looks for a way to take some pressure off and Thorin offers his help.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo looks for a way to take some pressure off and Thorin offers his help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big 'thank you' to [Chamelaucium](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Chamelaucium), who helped with this chapter.

Bilbo was grateful that Thorin was taking them back home to visit his parents. He didn’t regret coming, as Thorin still meant a lot to him, but after spending the entire morning in the hospital he just wanted to get out. He never liked hospitals and Theo was getting bored and he knew there would be a tantrum soon if they didn’t leave.

His mother and father were already waiting for them so when the car stopped he was immediately pulled into his mother’s embrace before she focused on Theo.

“Here’s my beautiful grandson,” she cooed and placed a kiss on Theo’s cheek the moment Thorin passed him over. It was obvious that Theo missed them too by the way he was bursting with excitement. “You must be hungry.”

“Yes!”

“Yes,” Belladonna smiled. “Then let’s get inside and finish lunch.”

“I’ll pick you up in the evening,” said Thorin as he went back to his car. The entire Baggins family turned around to look at him.

“Where are you going?” Bilbo’s mother demanded as she broke the uncomfortable silence. “Lunch will be ready in ten minutes.”

“I’m not really-“

“You’re going to say ‘thank you’ and then you’ll come inside and we’ll have lunch together,” Belladonna told him before Thorin had a chance to refuse.

“But I-“ The look that she sent him made Thorin shut up and sigh in defeat. “Thank you.”

“Well then, come in,” she smiled as she walked inside with her grandson in her arms.

Thorin had no other choice but to follow her inside. ‘You have to tell me how you do this,’ he heard Bilbo say to his mother. ‘He never listens to me.’ He made himself comfortable in the living room allowing Bilbo to spend some time with his parents after not seeing them for a couple of weeks. Theo continued to run around, visibly happy to be back.

“Tired,” he complained to Thorin when he finally stopped in front of him. “Want a nap.”

Thorin sighed as he lifted him in his lap. “Why is that when I tell you to take a nap you never want to and now you ask me to take one?” he wondered as the two-year-old just stared up at him. He placed a kiss on Theo’s head before promising him a nap after lunch.

Theo almost dozed off in Thorin’s lap before lunch, that was how tired he was from all the excitement. Thorin wasn’t much better. After driving for almost all night and everything that had happened he wanted to fall into bed and stay there for a couple of days. He almost didn’t hear Bilbo calling him when lunch was ready.

“You can use my bed,” Bilbo told him when they were putting the plates away after lunch. Theo was already up in his room having his nap and Bilbo had a feeling Thorin would fall asleep standing that’s how tired he was.

“I’m not tired,” Thorin tried to protest, but a yawn escaped him and Bilbo sent him a look. “I have to go back to the hospital.”

“You’re tired,” Bilbo pointed out. “You’re barely standing. We both saw your father and we both saw that he’s okay. Nothing will happen to him if you lay down for an hour. Don’t forget that you have to drive us back tonight and I don’t want you to fall asleep at the wheel.”

“Fine,” Thorin sighed in defeat. “But only for an hour, then I trust you to wake me.”

Bilbo promised to do so, so Thorin agreed to lay down for an hour to get some rest. An hour went by quickly and when Bilbo went to check on Thorin and found him peacefully sleeping he just didn’t have the heart to wake him up. He knew Thorin might get angry but he also knew he would be grateful of getting some rest. An hour later Theo was up, once again running all over the place and Bilbo knew that Thorin wouldn't get much more sleep, especially if Theo continued going into his room to check if daddy was still sleeping.

Thorin woke up when he felt the bed dip on the side. It wasn’t Bilbo, he was sure of that when he felt someone (read Theo) press their nose against his. Thorin stayed still with his eyes closed waiting for Theo to make his next move. But the two-year-old just pressed closer and when Thorin wrapped an arm around him he started giggling and tried to get away but Thorin caught him and pulled him back.

“What where you doing, huh?” Thorin demanded, his tone light and playful as Theo continued to giggle and tried to get away. “What were you trying to do?” Theo let out a laugh as Thorin pulled him back and started tickling him. “You little monster. You were trying to tickle me, weren't you?”

“No,” Theo laughed and Thorin stopped for a moment looking down at his son with a serious face.

“No? My apologies then,” said Thorin before continuing his attack. Theo continued to laugh even when Thorin hoisted him up like a bag on his shoulders and took him downstairs. The fun ended when he saw Bilbo looking at him from the bottom of the stairs with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Papa doesn’t like it when we’re having fun,” Thorin told his son as he rested him on his hip.

“No,” agreed the two-year-old.

“I don’t mind you two having fun when it’s safe,” Bilbo corrected.

“It was perfectly safe,” Thorin smiled.

“I don’t think carrying him around like a bag of flour counts as safe,” Bilbo smiled back. He wasn’t really angry at Thorin. In fact he loved watching him being relaxed and happy with Theo.

Thorin stopped a few centimeters from Bilbo and put Theo down. “See, perfectly safe.” He had a chance to ruffle his hair before Theo ran off.

Thorin straightened his back and looked down at Bilbo who had to hold himself back otherwise he would have wrapped his arms around the taller man’s neck and kissed him, that’s how dangerously close they were.

“Just kiss,” Frodo said to them as he hurried upstairs to his room, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

Bilbo cleared his throat awkwardly and stepped back. “I made you a cup of coffee.”

“Thanks.”

Thorin followed Bilbo into the kitchen without saying anything else.

“What’s wrong with this kid?” Frodo asked when he joined them, Theo hanging off his arm. “How did you turn him into a monster so quickly? He was normal when you two weren’t living together.”

Bilbo and Thorin looked at each other but neither said a word. It was Bilbo who took Theo away from his brother and then sent him playing in the living room where his parents could watch him. He had to admit that Frodo was right. Theo had become an absolute monster since he and Thorin started living together. Luckily he only behaved like that around the people he was familiar with. Bilbo thanked whoever was watching them that Theo was still shy when it came to meeting new people.

Thorin left soon after drinking his cup of coffee but not before placing a kiss on Bilbo’s cheek. Bilbo’s parents acted like they didn’t see while Frodo just couldn’t keep quiet and had to say something, and with that earning himself a smack on the back of his head from Thorin when he left.

“Aren’t you going to say something?” Frodo demanded, angry that he was still treated like a child.

“You deserved it,” Bilbo told him plainly before making his way back to the kitchen.

:::

Back on the campus few days later Bilbo was losing his patience.

“Watch him,” he ordered Thorin who was watching the news and put Theo on the bed next to him.

“Papa!” Theo immediately whined and reached for him.

“No, stay,” Bilbo ordered.

“Where are you going?” Thorin asked when he finally looked away from the screen.

“I’m going to take a _very_ long bath. Alone,” he added before going into the bathroom. Theo reached for Bilbo once again but Thorin held him back. “Don’t disturb me,” Bilbo called before he closed the doors.

“Papa!” Theo screamed again and Thorin rolled his eyes.

“Here,” Thorin changed the channel hoping to distract Theo for a couple of minutes, “you can watch the cartoons.”

“Want papa,” the two-year-old protested as he tried to get off the bed but once again Thorin pulled him back.

“Papa is having a bath,” Thorin tried to explain, not really knowing why Theodore was so determined to be with Bilbo. “Like you were having few minutes ago.” Fat tears started falling down Theo’s cheeks. “Bilbo, he's started crying!”

“Don’t care,” was heard from the bathroom.

Thorin knew that wasn’t true. Theo had been really clingy since they'd come back and Bilbo needed a few minutes alone. Thorin went to the kitchen to get the cookies Belladonna made for them and then went back to his crying son. He pulled Theo in his lap and offered them to him; Bilbo would say that he bribed him with cookies. Luckily it worked and after a few minutes Theo was completely focused on the cartoon while eating cookies.

Thorin made sure the Theo was completely focused on TV before carefully getting up from the bed and making his way to the bathroom. He first pressed his ear to the door hoping to hear something, but it was completely silent so Thorin decided to enter.

“Do you mind!” yelled Bilbo and immediately pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around it. “I wanted some privacy!”

“Come on,” Thorin reasoned, “it’s not like I’ve never seen you naked before.” He left the doors slightly open before sitting on the toilet lid. “So, tell me.”

“Please leave,” Bilbo asked desperately.

“We had sex. I saw you give birth to our son. I think I saw what was there to see.”

“Can I please have a few more minutes of privacy? Now please?” Bilbo asked.

Thorin just rolled his eyes before he stood up and took off his shirt.

“W-what are you doing?” stammered Bilbo. “Put your shirt back on.”

Thorin ignored him and removed his pants and his underwear. Bilbo suddenly found the ceiling very interesting. “Please put something on.”

“Why would I when was making you uncomfortable? Now we’re even.”

“You can’t just stand there,” Bilbo said without looking at Thorin.

“I’m not. I’m joining you and then we’re going to talk about Adrian.”

“Can we not?” Thorin was getting into the bath with him and Bilbo was too embarrassed to do anything about it. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know later. Just…please don’t.” Bilbo felt the water rise even higher when Thorin sat down in the bath opposite to him and now that there was water covering his private parts Bilbo could finally look at him. “You left Theo alone and unsupervised! Are you crazy.”

“Relax, he’s watching cartoons. He didn’t even notice me leaving.”

“Argh! You can be so irresponsible sometimes!”

Thorin relaxed in the bath and then looked at Bilbo. “So tell me, how was your date?”

Bilbo rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t a date. And I’m not telling you anything. I asked you to leave, not to share a bath with me!”

Thorin tried to pull Bilbo’s foot in his lap and giving him a massage hoping it would help him relax but it only made Bilbo angrier.

“Leave me alone,” he hissed.

“You’ve been on edge for the past few days. What’s gotten into you? You yell at Theo even when you don’t have to and everything upsets you.”

“I would have taken the _pressure_ off if you hadn’t interrupted me!”

Thorin studied Bilbo for a moment until it finally hit him what the younger man was saying. “Oh…”

Bilbo blushed as quickly as a grin spread on Thorin’s face. “Don’t look at me like that,” he said as he pulled his knees closer to his chest. “It’s been months since I… And with Theo always around it hard to get a few minutes of privacy, okay!”

“I didn’t say anything,” smiled Thorin.

“Then wipe that annoying smile from your face!”

“If you needed help you could have asked.”

Bilbo scoffed at that. “I don’t do people who are in a relationship and the few times we slipped… Well, I hope we both know that was wrong and a big mistake.”

“I meant I could have watched Theo if you needed some time to relax.” Bilbo blushed even more if that was possible. “But I’m flattered that I’m the first person you would ask for help.”

“Just shut up!”

“So you haven’t… I mean… With anyone? You didn’t?” Thorin tried to ask.

“Don’t think I did this for you,” Bilbo yelled as he stood up and pointed a finger at Thorin. “I would do it with the first person who would be interested but I wasn't too busy taking care of Theo.”

Thorin didn’t hear a word he said. He was too busy memorizing Bilbo’s curves. They were still perfect. And his skin looked as soft as the last time he was allowed to run his fingers over it and worship every inch of it. With the exception of a few stretch marks no one would have guessed Bilbo gave birth.

“Papa?”

Bilbo immediately sat down in the warm water at the sound of Theo’s voice. Theo pushed the doors open and joined them in the bathroom.

“I want a bath too!” he exclaimed when he saw his parents sharing a bath.

“No Theo, you cannot. You already had a bath,” Bilbo reminded him and the two-year-old stopped pulling at his clothes for a moment. Bilbo knew exactly what would happen next. And he was right because a moment later Theo started crying.

It was Thorin who got out of the bath, quickly dried himself and then took Theo in his arms trying to calm him down.

“Thank you.”

“I still want to talk about Adrian with you,” Thorin informed him.

“We will. Later,” Bilbo assured him before Thorin took Theo back to their bed.

:::

“We still haven’t talked,” Thorin reminded him.

Bilbo growled lowly before he turned around to look him in the eyes. “I know, but I was trying to sleep,” he whispered back.

“It feels like you’re avoiding talking about it.”

“I'm not avoiding anything. I just don’t understand why are you so interested in how it went.”

“Well you're going to allow him near Theodore so I have to be sure he’s not a lunatic.” Thorin could imagine Bilbo rolling his eyes.

“He’s not a lunatic. Happy?”

“Oh come on, give me some details.”

“You know that you sound like a jealous boyfriend," Bilbo reminded him.

“Which I’m not.”

“Which you’re not,” Bilbo agreed. “Then why do you want to know?”

Thorin shrugged before he propped himself on his elbow. “Indulge me. Tell me what he has that I don’t.”

“A fiancé, for starters. He’s not engaged."

“Point taken. Was he pissed that you left him waiting?”

“Once I explained why I didn’t come he understood. He’s not a child you know.”

“So when are you going to ask him for help?”

Bilbo sighed. “What are you talking about?”

He suddenly felt Thorin’s hand on his thigh, slowly moving up to his hip until finally making its way to his bum.

“He’s not that kind of guy,” Bilbo answered as he pushed Thorin’s hand away. “Besides, I don’t even know him. I’m not going to jump into bed with him at the first chance I get. I want to be in a relationship first.” Thorin snorted at that. “What?”

“Nothing,” Thorin answered. “Good luck getting him to commit.”

“What, do you think I can’t do it? I’m nice, I’m smart and caring, anyone would be happy to be in a relationship with me.”

“You talk too much,” Thorin corrected. “You’re annoying when you’re trying to be smart, and the way you care for people is suffocating. Besides, you have absolutely no idea how to make a guy fall for you. You couldn’t get him in your bed even if you wanted to. Guys like Adrian are bachelors, they won’t enter a relationship so that they could sleep with you.”

“If I remember correctly, you did,” Bilbo reminded him as he climbed on top of him and straddled his hips. It was too dark to see much, but Bilbo knew Thorin had his eyes on him. “I convinced the toughest guy in our school to date me, and you think I can’t get Adrian to commit.”

“I’ll bet you can’t.”

Bilbo leaned forward until their lip were only a few centimeters apart. “You’ll lose.”

“Oh, I don’t think I will,” Thorin whispered back and before Bilbo even knew it Thorin was kissing him.

He surrendered to the kiss and allowed Thorin to roll them over and press him into the bed as he found a comfortable space between his thighs. He missed having Thorin like this. He missed Thorin worshiping his body with every kiss and every touch. He missed the intimacy between them. Not just because he hadn’t had sex in a few months, but because with Thorin it was always something more. Thorin made him feel desired and in his arms he felt happy. But most of all he trusted Thorin, something he couldn’t say about the others.

Bilbo buried his fingers in Thorin’s hair as they kissed and allowed Thorin to do whatever he wanted in that moment. His hands travelled down his side to his hips and then clever fingers got under the elastic band of his pajama bottoms.

“Thorin, we can’t.” Bilbo stopped Thorin's hand as they were about to pull his pants down.

“Why not?” Thorin almost whined.

“Because we can’t. For starters, Theo is sleeping right next to us.” Thorin lifted his head to have a look at their sleeping son.

“He’s asleep, he won’t even hear us,” Thorin argued, but when he tried to pull at Bilbo’s pants the younger man once again stopped him. “We can be quiet.”

“We’re never quiet,” reasoned Bilbo. “We always get carried away because you enjoy making me scream.” Thorin rolled his eyes and Bilbo used the opportunity to push him off himself and Thorin rolled on his back with a groan. “Besides, you have a fiancé-“

“Don’t start,” warned Thorin.

“Why not? You wanted to have sex with me-“

“We both wanted it. Stop lying to yourself.”

“I admit that I wasn’t opposed to the idea of having a tumble in bed with you, but I realized soon enough it would be a mistake.”

“It’s just sex.”

“It’s cheating.”

“It happened before,” reminded him Thorin, “and you never had any problems with it.”

“I did not sleep with a clear conscious, if that’s what you’re implying.”

“Whatever,” muttered Thorin and pulled the covers up. Bilbo would swear he sounded offended by his rejection.

“Come on Thorin, you know that sex rarely comes without strings attached, especially with us. We have a son together, we dated, we broke up, you moved on, I’m trying to do the same.”

“With Adrian?” Thorin scoffed. “Yeah, good luck with that. You left the guy waiting so you could spend the day with me. What kind of message do you think it sends?”

“I explained everything to him,” argued Bilbo. “He said he understood.”

“The point is that you left him for me-“

“Yes! Fine! I left him for you. But that doesn’t mean anything! You’re still engaged and I’m still allowed to date whoever I want. I’m giving him a chance. I’m giving myself a chance to be happy.”

“We were happy.”

“I think the word _were_ is important thing here. We _were_ happy together, but we don’t know how to do that anymore. You speak in riddles. Half of the things you say I don’t understand and even though you promised to explain everything you still haven’t. We talked, remember? I told you I loved you and you told me you’re getting married. You’re moving on and so am I. Unless you tell me that all this that you’ve been doing is some kind of joke, I’m not changing my mind. The next person I’m going to sleep with is going to love me as much as I love them.”

After Bilbo finished his speech no answer came from Thorin even though he was still awake. Bilbo felt a little guilty about pushing him away so harshly, but that was the truth and that was the decision he has made and he wasn’t going to change his mind. Not for Thorin, not for anyone.

:::

Bilbo wasn’t sure what to think when Theo brought back his plate with the bread crust on it, but he knew exactly who to blame. “Aren’t you going to eat it?” He asked and Theo shook his head before offering him his plate once again. “Why not?”

“Daddy cuts it off.”

Of course he does. “Fine, you can go.” There was no point of arguing with Theo because no matter what he now did, Theo won’t eat it. He washed the plate before picking up his book and joining Thorin on the bed.

“Still haven’t heard back from him,” Thorin asked when Bilbo checked his phone for the third time.

Bilbo knew that Thorin was teasing but he was becoming quite impatient and Thorin might be the only one who could help. “No. And I texted him hours ago. I thought our lunch date went fine.”

“Let me see.” Thorin took the phone from Bilbo and quickly went through the text he and Adrian exchanged. Most of them were from Bilbo with only a few replies. “What do you expect him to write you back when you say ‘I miss you’?”

“Oh, I don’t know? The same! We connected-“ Thorin snorted at that. “During lunch,” continued Bilbo. “We talked-“

“About what?”

“Why does it matter?”

“It matters if you want my help.”

“I never asked for your help.”

“I’m offering it.”

“Who says I need it?”

Thorin sent him a look before quickly typing a message and hitting send before Bilbo could take the phone away from him. A few seconds later came a reply and Thorin showed Bilbo the phone.

“Fine, you know how to talk to a guy, but that doesn’t mean anything,” said Bilbo as he read the message Thorin sent.

_‘Guess what I’m wearing right now.’_

‘I hope nothing. ;-)’

“What am I supposed to answer to that?” Bilbo asked as Theo climbed on the bed next to them.

“I started the conversation for you. You said you don’t need my help, but whatever you do, do not tell him the truth.”

What was so wrong with telling him that he was wearing his comfortable pajamas and had Theo in his lap? He knew he had a son, and right now he wasn’t comfortable with lying. “But then I would be lying.”

“Fine then, tell him the truth and we’ll see how far you two will go,” said Thorin before he focused back on the notes he had from his classes.

Bilbo it his lower lip. He really wanted to get things moving with Adrian because lunch dates have become a little boring. He enjoyed talking with him and getting to know him better , but maybe it was time for something more. Like a kiss perhaps. “So I should tell him I’m naked?” Bilbo asked carefully.

Thorin raised an eyebrow before looking at him. “Yes, because that won’t sound weird.”

“Really?”

“No!”

Bilbo frowned. Thorin was playing with him, and the stubborn ass that he was will surely refuse to help him until being asked to do so. “Then what should I tell him?” Thorin decided to ignore him and continue his studying. “Argh! Fine! Thorin, would you please be so kind and help me?”

Thorin sensed the annoyance in Bilbo’s tone, but he was way too full of himself to refuse. “Tell him you’re having a bath. And don’t say anything about me or the kid,” he quickly added.

Bilbo did as he was told and a minute later he got another text.

“No, sweetheart you can’t,” Bilbo told Theo as the two-year-old tried to get a look at the text he just received.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re way too young,” Bilbo dismissed him with a kiss on his head before reading the text. “Okay, what next?” he asked as he gave the phone to Thorin and waited for the instructions.

For some reason it felt like he just sold his soul to the Devil. So what. The Devil will soon become the sweetest sin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your lovely comments!
> 
> Next chapter: Rules of the game change when truth comes out.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rules of the game change when truth comes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are mine.

In two short weeks everything changed. Thorin became a guide, a mentor to Bilbo, telling him what to do and what not to do to get Adrian’s attention. If Bilbo followed Thorin’s orders, success was almost hundred percent guaranteed. But if it started as friendly advice it soon turned into a game. Thorin suggested something and Bilbo had to find a way to get Adrian to do it as fast as he could. The romantic notion was quickly forgotten.

“I did it!” called Bilbo as he came running through the door, happy that he succeeded in another activity Thorin suggested. “ I totally did it!” He jumped in Thorin’s arms and wrapped his legs around Thorin’s waist as the taller man caught him. “I completed another one of your tasks,” Bilbo beamed as he looked down at Thorin who happily carried him to the kitchen and sat him down on the counter.

“Details please,” Thorin requested with a mischievous smile on his lips.

“We were waiting in the line to order, and you know how crowded that place always is… So, I got my back pressed closely to his front as I allowed him to wrap his arms around me from behind. You do know what I’m talking about, don’t you,” asked Bilbo teasingly as he ran his fingers over Thorin unshaved jaw.

“Of course.” Thorin stepped even closer so that they were only centimeters apart.

“And I just couldn’t stand still, you know,” explained Bilbo teasingly. “I kept squirming and grinding my ass against him-“

“Minx,” smiled Thorin.

“Well it worked. He didn’t realize what I was doing until it was too late and he was so turned on he had trouble hiding it.”

“And that’s when you left.”

“I did promise I’ll have lunch with you, didn’t I?”

“You really are evil Master Baggins,” smiled Thorin proudly.

“I do have an excellent teacher.”

“Remind me to never get on you bad side.”

“You already know that you shouldn’t,” said Bilbo before he pressed a kiss to his cheek and hopped off the counter.

“I made pasta,” explained Thorin. “That’s the only thing we’ve got left.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll do the shopping while you’re having classes.” Bilbo walked to the table and pressed a kiss to Theo’s head. The two-year-old has been completely ignored up until now and was doing his best to keep as much pasta as possible on the spoon as he tried to eat. “Hello Pumpkin. Did you miss me?”

Theo managed to get another spoon in his mouth even though half of the pasta fell back into his plate.

“He behaved very well today,” informed him Thorin as he served Bilbo lunch.

“Of course he did.” Bilbo pressed another kiss to Theo’s temple before saying thank you to Thorin for making lunch.

:::

Thorin left soon after they finished eating, allowing Bilbo to do the dishes while Theo had his afternoon nap. As promised Bilbo did the grocery shopping. He took Theo with him, but quickly realized it wasn’t such a good idea because apparently Thorin allowed Theo to take as much candy as he wanted, which they hid when they got home. Bilbo was furious when he discovered the truth and he promised himself to have words with Thorin about that.

Everything else went fine until it was time to pay.

“Your card has been rejected, there’s not enough balance.”

Bilbo cursed in his head. Why did he agreed to take Thorin’s credit card in the first place? “Could you try again?”

“Sure.” The cashier pushed the card in POS terminal once again only to get the same answer as before. “Not enough balance. Would you like me to try with a different card,” she asked politely.

“No. I’ll pay with cash.”

“Okay.”

Bilbo didn’t know what to think. Since when did Thorin’s credit cards even have a limit? Or have zero balance? This wasn’t supposed to happen. Especially not with Thorin’s cards. He has done shopping with Thorin a few times when they were together and there were never any problems. And he has bought groceries with this card not even two weeks ago. And now suddenly there wasn’t enough balance?

“Papa?”

Theo brought Bilbo back from his thoughts. He shifted the bags so he could take Theo’s hand as they walked back home. He would need to call the bank and deal with this immediately. Maybe it was their mistake. It had to be their mistake.

:::

When Thorin returned later that evening he entered a dimly lit room. The only light that was on was coming from the kitchen, and was casting a long shadow of Bilbo who was sitting at the table waiting for Thorin to come back.

“Have a seat,” Bilbo offered and pulled a chair out with his foot. His tone gave away no emotion at all and since Thorin couldn’t actually see his face he wasn’t sure if he was receiving an award or waiting for an execution.

He slowly dropped his bag on the floor before making his way to the table. The closer he got the more he actually saw. First it was just a pile of papers, a card and the phone, but then it became clear that the papers were from the bank and that the card was actually his credit card. Bilbo still hasn’t said anything and Thorin wasn’t sure where they stood at the moment.

“Where’s Theodore?”

“I left him with one of my classmates. He just had his baby so taking care of Theo it’s like practice for him,” explained Bilbo without taking his eyes off Thorin.

“I can explain,” said Thorin as he sat down, feeling uncomfortable by the way Bilbo was looking at him.

Bilbo pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around it before looking at him expectantly. “Please do.”

“This isn’t how it looks like-“

“I think it’s exactly how it looks like,” interrupted Bilbo and now Thorin knew that he was angry.

“Fine! It’s exactly how it looks like! Happy?”

“No, I’m not happy!” Bilbo banged his fist against the table and Thorin winced a little. “You lied to me! You’ve been lying to me for the past two years!”

“What do you want me to say? Yes, I lied to you, I’m sorry! Can we move on?”

“Not this time. This time you’re telling me the truth or I’m taking Theo and I swear to you, you’ll never see him again.”

Thorin didn’t even try to argue with him. Now Bilbo knew where they were standing financially and he knew he wouldn’t need much to take Theodore away from him. Though Thorin hoped Bilbo wasn’t that cruel.

“Since you went through the papers you already know what has happened.”

“I called the bank,” confirmed Bilbo. “They told me about the mortgage and all the debts you have, and why you credit card has been cancelled. Now I want to hear it from you. I know what situation you’re now in but I want to know how you got there.”

Thorin ran a hand over his face and sighed. “To tell you the truth even I don’t know how it happened. One day we had everything a week later there was nothing.”

“So all the money just disappeared into thin air?”

“Of course not,” snorted Thorin. “It’s just… You know how my father is taking his pills for the pressure?” Bilbo nodded at that. “Yeah, well, he’s been under a lot of stress for the last couple of years. We’ve been doing fine for the past couple of years because the mine was still-“

“Wait, what mine? What are you talking about?”

“Erebor,” clarified Thorin. “The Lonely Mountain. Ever heard of it?”

“Yes of course. Erebor produces the finest jewelry in the country.”

“Yes, and all the gold and precious gems are dug under the Lonely Mountain.”

“And you’re connected to it how exactly?”

Thorin frowned. Didn’t Bilbo really know anything? “We own it. Both the company and the mine.”

“Oh. Well, that makes sense,” Bilbo wondered.

“What I wanted to say that before we had no problems with money, or my father’s gambling problem because the mine was still opened. Now there’s nothing.”

“What do you mean there’s nothing?”

“It’s nothing there. It’s empty. Everything that was useful was already excavated. There’s nothing else to dig.”

“It’s a mountain! How can there be nothing?”

Thorin let out a laugh. “Yes, it’s a mountain, but there really isn’t anything there. My father paid the geologists to take a look, but sadly they only confirmed what we already knew. So we had to laid off miners and then other people who worked for the company.”

“Including Bofur’s parents.”

“Including them. As you can see it was nothing personal. I wasn’t threatened by him, if I wanted I could have had you.”

“You’re dating someone else,” reminded him Bilbo.

“We’ll get to that later. Where was I? Oh, yes. When I realized how bad it was I wanted to buy The Mines of Moria, but someone got the first. Then my father made some bad investments and gambled away even more money… and here we are. I didn’t return home because I needed someone who would cook and clean for me, I returned home because we couldn’t pay for the school anymore.”

“You have a big family. Dwalin is your cousin. Couldn’t they help?”

“All their money was tied to the company. When our shares lost value they lost their money. They’re not doing much better than we are,” explained Thorin. “The mortgage on the house is because of my father’s hospital bill and my credit card has been cancelled because-“

“You reached the limit when Dana bought that ring,” finished Bilbo. “What I don’t understand is why you didn’t just tell her the truth. I’m sure she would have helped.”

“Are you crazy? She cannot know! You’re not allowed to say a word about this to her.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little unfair to her. She’s your fiancé and she has the money to help you.”

“Why do you think I’m marrying her?” Thorin asked and Bilbo looked at him confused. “Do you think I’m marrying her for her good looks, or because she’s nice person? She’s a bitch and I’ve told you before that’s she’s even more annoying than you, but at least you got a nice arse.”

Bilbo needed a minute to put all the pieces together. And when finally all made sense he was absolutely furious. “You bastard!” he yelled at Thorin after he slapped him hard. “You lied! You used her! You used me! I hate you so much right now!” Thorin watched Bilbo angrily pace up and down the room while he rubbed his sore cheek. “You used that poor girl to get to her money!”

“And she used me because of my last name! She’s not as innocent as she looks.”

“Of course she isn’t. You despoiled her! You took her innocence-“

“Whoa, stop the horses! I didn’t even touch her-“

“Don’t lie to me,” interrupted Bilbo.

“I’m not lying to you! She’s a minor. I didn’t sleep with her. I’m not crazy, you know. I slept with I minor once and I ended up with a kid. I won’t say that she didn’t try to get me to sleep with her, and I’m pretty sure she told all her friends she did, but the age gap between us is too big. Her father would kill me if he even thought I touched his _princess_.” Thorin watched Bilbo as he tried to calm himself down by taking deep breaths. “The only person I slept with in the last two years is standing right in front of me.”

This was too much information at once. Bilbo did his best to process all the information as fast as he could while remaining calm. Which was harder to do than say because apparently Thorin has been lying to him for the past two years and Bilbo really wanted to slap him again.

“She’ll be eighteen in a few months,” continued Thorin. “But she wants a summer wedding so we’ll have to wait a few more months. When we’re married I’ll be able to control all her money.”

“So that’s it? This is all a business deal for you? An easy way to get the money.”

“What else would you have me do? She has more than enough money. And once I get hands on it you and Theodore will benefit from it too.”

“I don’t think Theo would prefer money over his father. What are you going to do? Hide our existence for the rest of our lives?”

“Of course not. Once I’m married and Dana’s old man can’t do anything about it, I will tell them. I would still want to spend time with Theodore.”

Bilbo crossed his arms over his chest and turned his back on Thorin. “I can’t believe you lied to me all this time.”

Thorin slowly closed the distance between them and placed his hands on Bilbo’s arms. “Don’t be angry at me. I did it with my best intentions.”

“And look where it got you. You’re almost as poor as I am.” Bilbo turned around so he could look Thorin in the eyes.

“Before you slap me again I would just like to remind you that you’re the only person I’ve been with,” Thorin tried to lighten the mood. “So I must get at least a few bonus points for that.”

“I’m so angry at you right now!”

“Yes, I can tell.”

“This isn’t funny!”

“I know it’s not.”

“And you’ve been with Dana since we broke up.”

“At the beginning I did it just to annoy you,” admitted Thorin and in the last moment caught Bilbo hand as he wanted to hit him again. “I’m sorry,” he said and pulled Bilbo closer. Even though he didn’t went willingly Bilbo didn’t fight him and allowed him to pull him closer. “I never wanted for things to come this far.”

“You never should have allowed for things to come this far,” corrected Bilbo as Thorin pulled him even closer. Slowly his anger was melting away and Bilbo hated that Thorin had so much influence over him.

“I’m sorry.” A kiss to his forehead. “I’m sorry.” Another one to his temple. “I’m sorry.” To his cheek. “I’m sorry.” They were getting even closer. “I’m sorry.”

“Just stop talking,” ordered Bilbo before he sealed their lips into a passionate kiss. Thorin didn’t need more encouragement than that and immediately responded to the kiss. This was the same, but at the same time different from all the kisses they’ve shared before. It was filled with desperation and with need. But Thorin didn’t care. He wanted this, Bilbo wanted this, and it was perfect.

“W-What are you doing?” Thorin managed to ask between kisses when Bilbo pushed him back to the bed and straddled his thighs.

Bilbo buried his fingers in Thorin’s hair before kissing him again. “Please tell me you have condoms.”

Thorin met Bilbo’s eyes for a second, searching for any doubt, but he found none. “Top drawer,” he answered as he motioned to the nightstand.

“Excellent,” smiled Bilbo before he pushed him on his back.

:::

An hour later they laid on their backs, staring at the ceiling.

“So…” drawled Bilbo as he picked his nails, not really knowing what to say. This wasn’t supposed to happen. This shouldn’t happen.

Thorin, who was still breathing heavily, turned his head to look at him for a second before looking back at the ceiling.

“What now?” asked Bilbo and bit his lower lip.

“I don’t know…”

Bilbo let out a sigh. “Did you, uhm, did you like it?”

Thorin turned to look at him once again. “It was good… bad? I’m sorry I really don’t know what you want me to say,” he admitted full-heartedly.

Bilbo rolled on his stomach and put his hands under the pillow before making eye-contact. “The sex,” clarified Bilbo. “Did you enjoy it?”

Thorin rolled his eyes while searching for the right answer. “Nobody wants to hear it was fine. It was weird, okay,” he quickly explained. “I don’t know how to explain it but something was off.”

“Oh my God, we can’t even have sex anymore!” Bilbo cried into the pillow kicking his legs against the bed like a child.

“You’re saying it like it’s my fault.”

“So it’s my fault?” asked Bilbo, a little annoyed that Thorin would even think something like that.

“I never said that,” argued Thorin. “But you did pick some weird positions-“

“Me? With weird positions? It was you who-“

“I was just trying to follow your lead. If you’re moaning and begging for more of course I’m going to continue.”

“I was urging you to move-“

“If we do the missionary once again I’m going to lose it. It’s absolutely boring.”

“No it’s not,” tried to argue Bilbo only to be interrupted.

“You just lay there barking orders at me. ‘Harder, faster, harder Thorin’,” Thorin mimicked with a teasing tone and Bilbo slapped his arm, offended. “There are lots of different positions that would get you what you want.”

“You never complained before.”

“Because we were either in a relationship or it was just one time thing.”

“So you never enjoyed it?”

“Of course I did, but there is a big difference between taking your time and making it quick to get your release,” explained Thorin. “And we were like two horny teenagers having sex for the first time not really knowing what to do.”

Bilbo burst out laughing at Thorin’s words. “I’m so embarrassed! It’s true! We were awful. Like we had no idea what we were doing.”

“I’m glad you find this funny.”

Bilbo looked at Thorin who was able to keep a straight face for a couple of seconds before he cracked a smile.

Bilbo pulled him down for a kiss and Thorin returned it. “But at least it was satisfying.”

“ _Very_ satisfying,” corrected Thorin and kissed him again.

Suddenly Bilbo’s phone signaled a text message and they broke apart so Bilbo could read it. “Argh,” he threw the phone back to the nightstand and slumped back onto the mattress. “I don’t have the energy to deal with you right now,” he muttered.

“Everything alright?” carefully asked Thorin.

“Yeah, everything’s fine.”

“Who was it?”

“Adrian, again. With some flirty message,” Bilbo answered as he ran a hand through his messy curls. “Someone has to get Theo.”

“I’ll go,” promised Thorin. “Just text Adrian back and tell him you’re not interested.”

Bilbo looked Thorin in the eyes and studied him for a moment. “Why? Are you going to call Dana and tell her the same.”

“No. I explained everything to you-“

“Then I’m not doing it.”

“-and my situation is different,” continued Thorin not allowing Bilbo to interrupt him.

“I’m not breaking up with Adrian if you’re not breaking up with Dana,” as calmly as he could Bilbo made his point.

“Fine. Do whatever you want,” said Thorin before he got up and went to the bathroom.

Bilbo knew that Thorin was angry, maybe even jealous, but he wasn’t going to break up with Adrian to spare Thorin’s feelings. He wanted Thorin to tell Dana the truth and the only way to make him change his mind is to get Thorin jealous. Bilbo believed that was the right way to get Thorin do what he wanted.

He allowed himself another few minutes of lying in bed, doing absolutely nothing. He would wait for Thorin to leave and get Theo before he would go to the bathroom to wash and change into his pajamas. It was getting late and he still had to change the sheets, because the last thing he wanted was for Theo to play where they just had sex.

:::

When Thorin returned with Theo fifteen minutes later all the evidence of what has happened has been cleaned up. Thorin was still giving him the silent treatment and it annoyed Bilbo to no end, but he wasn’t going to break up with Adrian to make him happy. If Thorin wanted to ignore him, so be it, but Bilbo was determined to win this.

They were lying in bed, Thorin with a book and Bilbo with his phone while Theo was allowed to watch the Lion King for the hundredth time.

“It’s time for bed,” announced Bilbo and put his phone down.

“Five more minutes,” pleaded Theo and Thorin knew that Bilbo is going to allow it.

“You already used your ‘five more minutes’, and it was more than just five.”

“Only five more,” asked Theo and Bilbo sighed.

“Fine, five more minutes and then I’m turning it off and you’re going to bed whether you like it or not.” Theo nodded and turned back to the TV as Bilbo laid back down and focused once again on his phone.

“I knew you were going to allow it,” commented Thorin.

“Oh, so we are talking again? Good to know.”

Thorin shook his head and went back to reading his book without saying anything. There was no point of starting an argument, especially because they were going to bed soon.

The cartoon was interesting, but not as interesting as Papa’s phone. So Theo decided to see what was so interesting.

“Ouch, you really are heavier than you look,” complained Bilbo when Theo climbed on him and sat on his stomach. “Do you need anything?” Bilbo asked his son, but the two-year-old just reached for his phone and Bilbo allowed him to have it.

“You shouldn’t allow him to play with your phone,” warned him Thorin.

“I’m here Thorin, if you haven’t noticed. I’m not letting it out of my sight.” Bilbo watched as Theo played with his phone, not really knowing what was so interesting about it. “Aren’t you going to watch the Lion King? Didn’t we agree you could stay up for five more minutes?” Bilbo asked as he moved a stray of hair from his son’s face behind his ear.

“No.”

“I think we did, Pumpkin. It’s already late and you need to go to sleep.”

“No…” whined Theo when Bilbo pried the phone from his hands. “No bed,” Theo insisted as he put his hands on Bilbo’s chest to support himself. “Five more minutes.”

“You had more than just five minutes.”

“I watch cartoon.”

“You can watch it tomorrow.”

“Five more minutes…”

“No, time for bed.” Bilbo knew Thorin was watching him so he insisted on what he ordered.

“He’s going to cry,” warned him Thorin who knew what was coming. His son knew exactly what to do to get his way.

Bilbo shot him a glare, but sadly Thorin was right. Tears started running down Theo’s cheeks and of course he felt bad that his son was crying. Bilbo pulled Theo down and wrapped his arms around him. “There’s no need for that, now is it,” Bilbo tried to soothe him as he rubbed his back. “Aren’t you tired?”

Theo shook his head and reached for Thorin, who put the book down so he could take him in his arms. “Wrong move buddy, it’s time for you to go to bed. You’re not going to change my mind if you continue to cry.” Theo pushed Thorin’s hand away and moved to sit on the bed between his parents as he continued to cry.

Thorin decided it was best to just ignore him until he calms down, while Bilbo watched him without saying a word. Theo continued his tantrum for the next couple of minutes until he realized that neither of his parents was paying attention to him.

“Feeling better now?” Bilbo asked after he wiped Theo’s cheeks and nose. His son continued to pout but at least he wasn’t crying anymore. Theo ignored Bilbo’s question and pointed a finger at him. “What?”

“There.”

Bilbo looked down at his shirt, but he didn’t find anything there. “Where?” Theo crawled to him and pressed his finger to Bilbo’s neck.

“It’s funny.”

Bilbo’s eyes widened at the realization what Theo was talking about. He quickly pulled Theo’s hand away and kissed it before he pulled him in his lap. “I’m going to kill you,” he hissed at Thorin.

“It hurts?” asked Theo when he looked up at his Papa.

“No, it doesn’t hurt,” he told Theo before looking back at Thorin. “You just had to do it, didn’t you?”

Thorin rolled his eyes before answering. “I’m not going to apologize, if that’s what you’re expecting from me.”

“You did it on purpose. You did it so Adrian would see it!”

“We were having sex,” started Thorin and Bilbo quickly covered Theo’s ears, “I wasn’t exactly thinking what I was doing. And it’s not my fault you bruise so easily.”

“I didn’t do it to you!”

“But you did leave some nasty marks on my back. Do you want to see?” quickly asked Thorin.

Theo pushed Bilbo’s hands away and looked sternly at Thorin. “No fighting.”

“I’m sorry, buddy. I didn’t want to upset you. I promise no more fighting.”

“Now kiss!”

Thorin just stared at his son. Where did all this suddenly come from? Theo never demanded from them to kiss before. “Theo, I’m not sure-“

“Daddies kiss,” Theo insisted and when Thorin looked at Bilbo the latter just shrugged not knowing what to think. Thorin slowly leaned it and pressed a chaste kiss to Bilbo’s lips while their son was watching them. Theo smiled happily before he demanded another one.

Before Thorin could even say something Bilbo told him to do it otherwise Theo won’t let it go. So Thorin leaned it for another kiss, which surprisingly Bilbo returned.

Bilbo licked his lips after they parted. “Enough kisses for today,” he asked his son.

“And for me,” smiled Theo and waited to receive a kiss from both of his parents before climbing under covers between them.

“Theodore, you have to sleep in your bed,” told him Thorin.

“I sleep here.”

“No, Bilbo and I sleep here. You have your own bed.”

“I sleep with you and Papa,” insisted Theo.

“We never slept together before, you know,” interrupted Bilbo before Thorin could order Theo to sleep in his own bed. “I mean, like a family. He slept with me and he slept with you, but never with both of us. I remember climbing into my parents bed to sleep with them when I was little and I loved it.”

“Fine, you can stay,” agreed Thorin before turning off the TV and laying down next to his son. Theo smiled happily and moved closer so that Thorin would wrap an arm around him. “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“I just need to check something my phone first.” Theo turned around so he could see his Papa. He was comfortable in daddy’s arms but the curiosity got the better of him so he reached for the phone in Bilbo’s hand.

“Want to see!”

“Theodore, go to sleep,” ordered Thorin and wrapped an arm tighter around his son, preventing him to move.

“No, I want to see.”

Bilbo just rolled his eyes before he handed over his phone, knowing that Theo won’t let it go.

“Papa with baby,” said Theo after he got a look at the picture Bilbo was looking.

Thorin smiled as he brushed the hair from Theo’s forehead. “With you,” he corrected. It was a picture he took when Theo was just few weeks old. Bilbo was sitting on the couch with Theo in his arms, smiling fondly at the baby. Bilbo loved that picture o much he had it for his background for a couple of months.

“With me?”

“Yeah, that’s you when you were just few weeks old,” told him Bilbo, smiling. “You were the most beautiful baby I have ever seen.”

“’m not a baby.”

“Look how cute you were,” said Thorin as he slid his finger over the screen to see the next picture. Theo was lying on his back trying to put his foot into his mouth. “Just look at those chubby cheeks. I never saw this picture before.”

“I took a lot of pictures when he was younger and it was easy to take them. Now he can’t be still for more than a couple of seconds.”

Bilbo laid down next to them as they went through all the pictures Bilbo had of Theo on the phone. Theo asked questions and Bilbo or Thorin explained what they were doing. Even though the pictures were nice Thorin couldn’t help but to notice that it was usually (most of the time) just Theo on them, or he was with Bilbo, or on rare occasions with him. They never took a picture together, like a family.

“You don’t have any pictures of us,” pointed out Thorin.

“Of you and me? I had them when we were together. After we broke up I just deleted them.” _Lie._ Bilbo knew it was a lie, but he wasn’t going to tell Thorin he kept them. They broke up.

“No, I mean _us._ You, me and Theodore.”

“Well we hardly spend any time together. And now that we do there hasn’t been much time to take pictures.”

“Then do it now,” suggested Thorin. “We’re together and Theodore is half asleep,” Thorin added as he looked down to their sleeping son.

Bilbo had to admit that Theo sleeping between them was one of the cutest things he has ever seen and that Thorin was right. They didn’t have any pictures of them all being together. He scooted closer and quickly took a picture before sending it to Thorin’s phone.

“What do you think?” asked Thorin as he showed him his new background. The two of them, with Theo sleeping in the middle.

“I think we should go to sleep,” answered Bilbo before putting his phone away and pulling the covers up.

Thorin frowned. He was hoping that Bilbo would be happy, that he would do something similar. But nothing. Bilbo did his best to ignore him. “Right. Goodnight then,” said Thorin before turning off the lights.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say if you hate something you should slam the door in its face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are mine.

**_"We will never know why we were chosen by fate to perform all the rites that turned love into hate."_ **

Ice age.

That’s how Thorin would describe his relationship with Bilbo. It could be worse, but it was already bad enough. Ever since that little argument of theirs about telling the truth and breaking up with certain people, things got bad between them. Bilbo did his best to ignore him as much as possible, only speaking to him when necessary. Thorin knew that if they had a couch he’d be sleeping on it. Luckily Bilbo wasn’t that cruel to make him sleep on the floor.

But with the way things were going, one of them would have to leave the bed to the other one.

“You’re late,” Bilbo accused the moment Thorin stepped through the door. At least it was some sort of a greeting he thought as he closed the doors behind him. He was tired, he had a long day, and spend the last hour in the library looking for the books he needed. All he wanted to do was have some dinner and go to sleep. Maybe if he doesn’t allow Bilbo to provoke him to start a fight, he won’t have to put Theodore to bed.

“Hey! I’m talking to you,” called Bilbo as he snapped his fingers in front of his face to get his attention.

Thorin shook his head as he lost his thought. “I heard you.”

“Good. Then you know that you’re late,” repeated Bilbo.

Thorin wanted to say something back when Bilbo walked back to the kitchen, but stopped himself when he saw they weren’t alone. His blood started to boil and he clenched his fingers into a fist.

“We can go,” smiled Bilbo at Adrian, who was sitting at the table with Theo, helping him color his drawing. “Bye, Pumpkin,” said Bilbo as he pressed a kiss to Theo’s head. “Be good for daddy.”

Theo nodded before he focused back on the paper in front of him.

“See you soon, little man,” said Adrian.

“Say goodbye to Adrian,” Bilbo told Theo, as he accepted Adrian’s hand.

“Bye,” said Theo absentmindedly.

Adrian just smiled and squeezed Bilbo’s hand, telling him to let go. He could feel the tension between Bilbo and Thorin, and he would bet Theo’s behavior was just a reflection of the relationship between his parents.

Bilbo sighed before he turned to Thorin. “Dinner is in the oven, if you want it. Theo already ate,” he informed him curtly before pulling Adrian to the door.

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring him back in one piece,” Adrian told Thorin, but before the latter could say something back Bilbo had already closed the door behind them, leaving him alone with their son.

Thorin closed his eyes for a moment and let out a sigh. There was no point of getting angry over this. Bilbo had every right to do as he pleases. And if that meant going out with Adrian Thorin won’t say anything about it, even though the thing he wanted to do most was beat the guy until he wouldn’t be able to stand anymore and then tell him that Bilbo is his and only his.

He walked over to his son and pressed a kiss to his head before sitting down next to him. Ever since he and Bilbo started ignoring each other Theo started to do the same. “Hey buddy, will you tell me what are you doing?” He leaned closer to get a better look at what Theo was currently coloring. “Who is this,” he asked as he pointed to what Theo drew as a person.

“Nana.”

“And this?”

“Grandpa.”

“And the other two?” Theo pointed to the bigger figure and told him that was him and the little figure was Frodo. “And where am I, and where is Papa?” Theo shrugged as he continued to color his dress in orange. Yes, Theo drew himself in an orange dress. “Are you going to draw another one where it’s just us?”

Theo shook his head in response. “Want Nana.” Thorin knew that whenever Theodore wanted Bilbo’s mother something was wrong. Belladonna was a safe haven for Theo and always gave him cuddles and showered him with affection until he felt better.

Thorin sighed and stood up. He went to the kitchen and reheated the dinner Bilbo left for him. It was a quiet evening and Thorin wasn’t used to the silence, especially when Theo was around. They ate in silence. Even though Theo already had dinner, he kept opening his mouth, waiting for Thorin to share his dinner with him. Not that Thorin minded. Bilbo left more than enough food for both of them.

After they finished eating Thorin joined Theo at the table. He did some school work while Theo continued to color in absolute silence. When it was time for Theo to be put to bed, he changed him into his pajamas and helped him wash his teeth before he put him down for the night. A yawn escaped him after he turned off the lights off next to Theo’s bed. With everything that has happened, he has forgotten how tired he was, so he decided to go to bed as well. He was fast asleep the moment he laid down.

:::

Bilbo came back around two in the morning. Thorin heard him because Bilbo managed to wake him up with all the noise he made while he tried to get ready for bed. He saw him check on Theo before he joined him under the covers. Even though Thorin _needed_ to know how the date with Adrian went, he bit on his tongue and forced himself to stay quiet and pretended to be still sleeping.

The morning came too soon for Bilbo. He was up late last night so he decided to skip his first class to get an additional hour of sleep. He turned around to make himself comfortable again when he heard voices coming from the kitchen. Of course, how could he forgot. Theo and Thorin were there, together, like they always were in the morning.

He pushed himself up and rubbed his sleepy eyes.

“Mornin’,” he said, his voice still thick with sleep. “Where are you going?” he asked when he noticed that Thorin put shoes on Theo.

“We’re going out,” informed him Thorin without looking at him.

“So you’re going to take him out so you don’t have to deal with me?” Bilbo asked.

“We go out to play every morning,” answered Thorin as calmly as he could. “Not that you ever bothered to find out what we do in the morning.” Bilbo just stared at him. “What? Did you think I just sit with him all morning and wait for you to return?” He helped Theo off the chair and took his hand. “We’ll be back in an hour,” he told him. “You should go back to sleep. You look like you need it.”

Bilbo just stared back at him, fuming inside. “Asshole,” he yelled after him and in frustration threw the pillow at the door where Thorin was standing just a moment ago, before he slumped back on the bed.

He was not going to allow Thorin to win this. Never.

:::

Thorin tried to stay calm as much as he could, but he could only take so much of Bilbo yelling at him for everything. It looked like he was trying to provoke him to start a fight. Thorin really had a feeling Bilbo was doing all this just to make him angry, but he wasn’t going to allow him to get his way.

“We should call a truce,” he suggested one evening when he and Bilbo were making dinner.

“What?!” Bilbo couldn’t believe what he just heard. Did Thorin just propose a truce. This is just one of his little tricks, his mind supplied. He’s doing this so he can trick you into believing he’s a good person. Which he’s not. He insists that he loves you, yet he stays engaged to someone else. Under no circumstance you can believe him.

“I think we both realized this isn’t working. We can’t live like this.”

“You aren’t serious, are you?”

“It’s affecting Theodore, you must have noticed that,” pointed out Thorin.

See, he’s playing dirty. He dragged Theo into this. Do not believe him, he’s trying to trick you. “He’s fine.”

“No, he’s not fine. He’s quiet and withdrawn. He knows we’re fighting and he probably feels guilty for that, that’s why he behaves.”

“So what are you going to do? Run back home? We knew this was going to be hard, yet you agreed to it.”

“I’m not going back home, but I don’t think it’s healthy for us to live together. We either fight or ignore each other. If this was just about us I would happily stay, but I can’t do that to my son. He needs a happy home, not two people who are prepared to kill each other to prove they are right.”

And that was it. Now Bilbo knew for sure that Thorin knew what he was trying to do. This was just one of his tricks to get him to submit. To dump Adrian while he stays happily engaged to Dana. But he was willing to play along, just to see what Thorin had in mind. “And what do you propose we do?”

“I’m going to move out.” Bilbo’s jaw dropped at Thorin’s announcement. “I already asked for another room. I won’t be alone. I’ll have, I think three roommates, but I can live with that.”

Bilbo just stared at him for a couple of moments. “And where will Theo and I live?”

“You can stay here, if you want. Nothing will change. I’ll still take care of Theo in the mornings and you get to watch him in the afternoon. And this way, if you want to invite Adrian over I won’t be in your way.”

“You have got to be joking!”

“I think it’s for the best.”

“This isn’t funny, Thorin. No one thinks this is funny,” fumed Bilbo. “If you think this little game of yours will make me leave Adrian, you’re mistaken. He’s a ten times better person than you are!”

“And that’s why I invited him to come over.”

“You did what?!” exclaimed Bilbo. This was the last thing he expected from Thorin.

As on cue someone knocked on the door and Thorin greeted the guest.

“Wasn’t expecting you here, mate,” said Adrian to Thorin as they shook hands, while Bilbo just stared at them.

“Yeah, I was just explaining to Bilbo that you two will have the evening for yourself. Haven’t really gotten to that part where I tell him I apologized and that everything is good between us.”

“Don’t look so stunned babe,” said Adrian as he walked over to Bilbo and wrapped his arms around his waist. “I knew that Thorin was mature enough to accept that you’re dating me now.”

Bilbo tore his gaze away from Thorin to look Adrian in the eyes. He seemed very pleased with himself, and Bilbo found that very unsettling. But when the taller man leaned down to kiss him, he returned the kiss, trying to forget that the love of his life was standing in the room, watching them.

Thorin cleared his throat and they broke apart and Adrian offered the same smile to Thorin as he offered a moment ago to Bilbo.

“I- We should go. The show I’m taking Theodore to starts at nine and we have to get something to eat first.” He pulled Theo from his toys and helped him get dressed. “We’ll be back around eleven.” Thorin informed Bilbo and Adrian.

“I’ll make sure I won’t be here when you return,” smiled Adrian.

Thorin allowed Bilbo to say his goodbyes before taking Theo’s hand and leaving the two lovebirds alone for the evening. It broke his heart to watch Bilbo melt into another guy’s embrace, but he knew it was the right thing to do.

:::

He came back a few minutes before eleven with sleeping Theo in his arms. He hoped that Adrian already left, because no matter how polite he wanted to be he still didn’t want him see kissing Bilbo in goodbye. Actually, he didn’t want to see him at all.

He entered a dimly lit room, with Bilbo sitting on one of the kitchen chairs in his pajamas. He had his arms wrapped around his knees and was so lost in his thoughts, he didn’t even hear them enter.

“We’re back,” whispered Thorin, not wanting to wake Theo, but loud enough to pull Bilbo from his trance.

“I was worried something happened to you,” quickly said Bilbo as he took Theo from Thorin’s arms. The tone he used with Thorin was completely different from a few hours ago.

“We’re both fine,” smiled Thorin. “I think Theo had a very good time.”

“I’m glad you both enjoyed it. Don’t worry, I’ll change him for bed,” said Bilbo before he hurried to the bathroom.

Thorin ran a hand over his face. At least nothing has changed, he thought. Bilbo looked fine, so nothing important happened between him and Adrian, which was good to know. He let out a sigh and sat down on the bed. Something felt odd. Something was different. Without realizing it, he ran his hand over the covers of the bed.

Wait!

This weren’t the covers they slept in last night. In fact, he was sure the covers they slept in were still on the bed when he left. Which only meant one thing. Bilbo changed them and Thorin didn’t have to think twice to know why Bilbo did that.

“Everything alright?” Bilbo asked when he returned to put Theo down.

Thorin started at the changed sheets for a moment, feeling Bilbo’s eyes on him. “Yeah, everything is fine. I’ll move my things out tomorrow while you have classes. That way when you return you won’t even know I was here,” was the last thing he said before he disappeared into the bathroom not giving Bilbo a chance to say something back.

Not willing to fight with Thorin, Bilbo let it go. He climbed under the covers and fell asleep before Thorin returned.

:::

Moving out shouldn’t be this hard, but it pained Thorin to move every box of his stuff to his new room. At least he had Theo to keep him company the whole morning, happily trailing behind him and helping carry some small things. At least he was smiling again, thought Thorin when they came back for the last box. Now all he had to do was make himself comfortable in his new room.

Other than him living in another room nothing was supposed to change.

But sadly it did.

He went to pick up Theo like every morning. He knocked on the door and waited for Bilbo to answer.

“Oh, good, you’re here. I was hoping you would arrive a few minutes early. Just wait here,” Bilbo told him quickly before he ordered him to wait at the door. Thorin immediately knew something has changed because it was the first time Bilbo didn’t invite him in.

Thorin watched as Bilbo pulled something out of the closet and then brought it to him. “Found this in the laundry basket. I believe it’s yours.”

“Yes, it is. Thank you,” said Thorin as he accepted the pile of clean clothes. He completely forgot about those.

“Theo will be with you shortly. We just finished breakfast so he’s brushing his teeth.”

“No problem, I can wait.”

They stood at the doors awkwardly for almost a minute before Bilbo shifted on his feet and spoke. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something…”

“Yes?”

“Well, I was wondering… What I wanted to ask you is… Can I get the key back?”

“What?” asked Thorin, who was caught completely unprepared.

“Well you don’t live here anymore, so I don’t really see a reason why you should have a key to this room. Now you have all your stuff and Theo almost never asks for anything that would require for you to have a key.”

Thorin stared at him for a moment. “Yeah, you can have it back.”

“Could you give it to me now?”

“Now?”

“Yes, now. Like I said, you don’t need it anymore and I would really like to have it.”

Thorin reached into his pocket, annoyed that Bilbo wanted to have the key back, when the bathroom door opened and Theo came running out. Followed by Adrian, who was sporting the same smile as his son.

“Hey mate. How are you?”

Thorin wanted to snap at him that they weren’t ‘mates’, that they weren’t anything, that just because he’s allowing him, yes, allowing him, to date Bilbo that doesn’t mean he has to like him. He wouldn’t have to do much to get Bilbo back and that annoying prick should be aware of that. But instead of wasting his breath on Adrian he turned his attention to Theo, who was back to his normal self. Smiling and full of energy as he ran to Thorin and waited to be picked up.

“Someone is in a good mood,” he commented as Theo continued to smile at him.

“We can go play!”

“Yeah, we can go,” confirmed Thorin and Theo beamed. “You want him back at two, right?” asked Thorin for confirmation as he turned around to leave.

“Yes.”

“Okay. We’ll see you then.”

“Thorin,” said Bilbo, halting his step.

“Yes?”

“They key.”

Thorin looked at the Bilbo, who took a step closer, his arm stretched out. Bilbo wasn’t kidding, he wanted they key back and Thorin had no other choice but to give it to him.

“Thank you,” said Bilbo before he pressed a kiss to Theo’s cheek. “I’ll see you at two,” he told his son before he and Thorin left.

:::

“When daddy back?” Theo asked while he was having a bath. Bilbo was sitting on the tiles next to it, staring absent-mindedly into the distance while Theo played in the warm bubbly water.

“Papa!” Theo’s splashed the water all around, wetting Bilbo’s face and shirt and finally pulling him from his thought.

“Hm? Sorry baby, I wasn’t listening. What did you ask me?”

“When daddy back?”

Bilbo needed a moment to gather his thoughts. “Daddy didn’t go anywhere. You still see him every morning,” he pointed out.

“He not sleepy here.”

“No, he’s not.” Bilbo drained the water and then rinsed the remaining soap off Theo, before wrapping him in a towel and drying him.

“Why?”

“Why what?” asked Bilbo, not knowing what Theo wanted to know now. He had to admit that he wasn’t really paying attention to what was happening because his thoughts kept drifting to other things.

“Why daddy not sleep here.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Want daddy.”

Bilbo sighed as he helped Theo get dressed for bed. “You’ll see him in the morning, now it’s time for you to go to bed. You can have a story, but then you have to go to sleep because it has been a long day and I’m tired.”

“Want daddy!” Theo repeated and Bilbo knew that this was just a beginning. There will be a tantrum and the only one that could prevent it was Thorin. But Bilbo wasn’t going to call him.

“You’ll see him in the morning,” Bilbo repeated calmly. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.” He wanted to take Theo’s hand, but the two-year-old just looked angrily at him and ran to his bed. “Theo!”

“Want daddy!” Theo cried when Bilbo followed him.

“And I told you that you’ll see him in the morning,” Bilbo snapped at him angrily even though he didn’t want to. Theo looked at him, visibly upset and with eyes filling with tears, before he turned away from Bilbo.

Bilbo sighed and sat down on the bed next to his son and gently rubbed his back as Theo continued to sob quietly. “I’m sorry. There was no need for me to yell at you,” apologized Bilbo. “Would you like me to read you a story?” Theo shook his head. “Would you like some cuddles to make you feel better?”

“Want daddy,” Theo said between sobs.

“Can’t do that,” said Bilbo before he stood up and left Theo to go to sleep.

:::

He was woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of someone crying. But Theo wasn’t just crying. When Bilbo turned on the lights and looked at his son, he saw how frightened Theo looked. He was curled up together clutching to his plush bunny. He was shaking and having trouble breathing normally and the moment Bilbo saw him, he was up from the bed pulling him in his arm.

“It’s okay,” he soothed as he rocked him gently, trying to calm him down. “I’m here. Nothing’s going to happen to you. Theo look at me.” He lifted his chin so that Theo would look him in the eyes. “I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. Now take a deep breath… good boy,” Bilbo praised as he pulled him even closer, trying to protect him from whatever it was that upset him so much.

After a couple of minutes Theo’s breathing became normal and even though he was still clutching Bilbo’s shirt he appeared to be doing much better. Bilbo kissed the top of his head as they continued to sit in silence. Only when Theo relaxed in his arms, he decided to speak.

“Did you have a bad dream?” Theo nodded an snuggled into Bilbo’s chest. “Why didn’t you wake me? Even if are angry at each other that doesn’t mean I don’t love you. If you need me, I’ll always be there. Do you understand?” Theo nodded again and Bilbo pressed another kiss to his head.

“Want daddy,” Theo demanded as he looked up to look Bilbo in the eyes.

“You can’t go to daddy now. He’s sleeping. You’ll see him in a few hours when he wakes up.”

“Don’t want to. Want daddy. Now.”

Bilbo sighed when tears started running down Theo’s cheeks once again. “Was the bad dream about daddy?”

Theo nodded. “See daddy?”

“We can’t see daddy right now because he’s sleeping. You’ll see him when you wake up. Come on, it’s time for bed. You can sleep with me,” Bilbo offered, but Theo was having none of it. He continued to cry until Bilbo gave up, lifted him in his arms and took him to see Thorin.

He had an idea where Thorin’s room was so he was mostly relying on Theo’s instructions.

It was in the middle of the night when he knocked on the door, hoping that someone will hear them and open up. “I think they are all sleeping,” said Bilbo after almost fifteen minutes of knocking. “You’ll have to wait until morning.”

“Daddy!” called Theo and knocked on the door, but Bilbo immediately shushed him and crouched in front of him. “You can’t yell, people are still sleeping.”

“Daddy’s there,” said Theo as he pointed to the door.

“Yes, but others-“ Bilbo was interrupted when the doors suddenly opened and before he could say anything Theo disappeared into the dark room. “Sorry,” he quickly apologized as he pushed past the man and followed his son. “Theo!” he hissed when he saw him disappear into one of the rooms. But when Bilbo caught him a few moments later he already had his arms around Thorin’s neck, trying to pull him closer while Thorin tried to calm him down.

“Daddy…” cried Theo.

“Hey, it’s okay, I’m here,” assured him Thorin as he pulled him closer.

“Could you please do this somewhere else?”

Bilbo finally noticed that they weren’t alone in the room and that Theo’s crying probably woke one of Thorin’s roommates. Well, now they were two.

“I’m so sorry-“

“I don’t care. Just stop talking,” came from the other bed.

“Come with me,” said Thorin as he got up from the bed and lead Bilbo out of the bedroom and closed the doors behind them. Bilbo collapsed into one of the kitchen chairs and buried his head in his hands while Thorin walked around the kitchen until Theo calmed down. And then everything was quiet.

Thorin ran his hand through Theo’s curls when suddenly the bathroom door opened and one of his roommates walked out. Bilbo’s head snapped up when the stranger focused on Theo.

“Hey, little man. What are you doing here at this hour?” Theo just looked at him from where he was resting on Thorin’s shoulder, sucking on his thumb. “Come on, it can’t be that bad. I miss your smile.” He pinched Theo’s cheek, and the two-year-old offered him a sleepy smile. “I knew you could do it.”

“Sorry mate, for waking you up,” apologized Thorin.

“I needed to use the toilet anyway. But I would appreciate it if next time you’d introduced yourself before pushing me away,” he said to Bilbo.

“I’m sorry,” Bilbo whispered back.

“It’s already behind us. Goodnight.” And with that he disappeared into the other bedroom.

“Are you feeling better now?” Thorin asked Theo as he tried to pull his thumb out of his mouth. The two-year-old nodded before the thumb went back to his mouth.

“He’s exhausted. How long has he been crying?” Bilbo looked everywhere else except at Thorin. “Bilbo, how long has he been crying?”

“Not long.”

“He’s visibly upset, so excuse me if I don’t believe you,” told him Thorin.

“Fine! He’s been upset since last night when he wanted to see you.”

“And why didn’t he?”

“Hello? We don’t live together anymore-“

“That’s just an excuse,” interrupted Thorin. “You know that if you called I would come.”

“I didn’t need you!”

“Clearly you did,” snapped Thorin back. “I cannot believe you allowed Theo to get hurt so that you wouldn’t have to call me.”

“It’s not my fault he had a nightmare.”

“Which probably wouldn’t happen if you’d swallow your pride and called me.”

“He’s fine now,” pointed out Bilbo and stood up. “Come on Theo, let’s go back.”

“No!” Theo only pressed closer to Thorin.

“Daddy is fine. He’s okay. You saw him and now we need to go back. You need to sleep and I need to get some sleep as well.” He reached for his son, but Theo immediately wrapped his arms around Thorin’s neck.

“Daddy,” Theo pleaded as he looked up at Thorin, halting Bilbo.

“I think it would be better if he stays here for the rest of the night,” Thorin quickly said.

“What?!”

“He wants to stay with me. I see no problem with that.”

“And where is he going to sleep? No, forget I even asked that, he’s not staying here with you.”

“He’s going to sleep with me, so you don’t have to worry about anything. I’ll bring him back to you as always in the afternoon.”

“It’s not happening. Theo, it’s time to go,” repeated Bilbo.

“No! Daddy!”

Thorin turned away from Bilbo and put Theo down. “Go to bed, I’ll be there in a minute,” he told him before he pressed a kiss to his head.

“No, Theo come back!” called Bilbo when Theo ran to Thorin’s bedroom. He wanted to go after him, but Thorin blocked his way.

“I think it would be best if you leave.”

“He’s my son,” hissed Bilbo.

“And he’s also my son, and he’s upset and he clearly wants to stay with me. Nothing will happen to him.”

:::

Bilbo sighed when Thorin closed the doors behind him. He was asked to leave. How did that happen? Before Theo would cry his eyes out when he had to stay with Thorin, now he preferred it.

Bilbo couldn’t help but to feel bad when he went back to his room. What did he do wrong that Theo didn’t want him anymore, that he wasn’t enough. He suddenly missed that Theo wasn’t a baby anymore, that he didn’t need him all the time. That he had Thorin and that Thorin was more than capable of taking care of him.

He thought he was alone when he and Thorin broke up. But he wasn’t, he had Theo. And now he had no one. He climbed under the covers and waited for sleep to come.

It never came, and Bilbo spent the rest of the night tossing around on his bed, alone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long.
> 
> I wanted to start a fight between them, but then the chapter would be too long so I decided to leave it for the next one.
> 
> Next chapter: "Being amicable isn't in our blood. I've realized we're not friends. Friends have to like each other. And after what happened today, I could never like you."


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Being amicable isn't in our blood. I've realized we're not friends. Friends have to like each other. And after what happened today, I could never like you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are mine.

“Papa,” called Theo and Thorin immediately turned his head to see Bilbo join them in the small kitchen. His usual morning routine normally included lying in bed for a few half an hour, then getting dressed, having some breakfast and picking up Theo just before Bilbo had to go to classes.

This morning he woke up when Theo _accidentally_ kicked him in the stomach. He didn’t know that his son woke up so early in the morning and he wasn’t prepared to get out of the bed the moment he opened his eyes, but Theo didn’t stop talking and Thorin knew that his roommate would get angry if they woke him up so he got up and then went through the same routine Theo apparently went with Bilbo every morning.

It was exhausting.

But now they were having breakfast and while Theo was perfectly able to eat without help, but Thorin wasn’t allowing him too. His son enjoyed getting people’s attention and if that meant playing with food he gladly did so. And after noticing that half of the table was covered in porridge Thorin took the spoon away and decided to feed him himself.

“Hello pumpkin,” smiled Bilbo. “How are you doing?”

“Theo, open,” interrupted Thorin and offered another spoon to the two-year-old who wasn’t able to answer Bilbo with his mouth full.

“I see you have got everything under control,” commented Bilbo as he sat down next to Thorin.

“He’s two. He’s not hard to keep _under control_.”

Bilbo rolled his eyes at Thorin’s nasty tone, but he didn’t say anything.

“What are you doing here anyway?”

“Am I not allowed to check on my son?”

Thorin didn’t answer. The silence stretched on as Theo swallowed spoon after spoon of his breakfast and was finally interrupted when Thorin’s roommates joined them. Once the introductions have been made the conversation flow easily.

“You looked tired as hell,” said one of Thorin’s roommates to Bilbo. “Have you slept?”

“He looks like that because he hasn’t slept,” interrupted Thorin before Bilbo could say anything.

“Thank you, Thorin, for your input,” answered Bilbo back.

“So, it this some new arrangement?” another one asked. “Is Theo going to stay with us?”

“No! No, he’s staying with me. It was just one time thing,” Bilbo quickly answered.

“Pity, I like having him around.”

“I still prefer if he stays with me,” told him Bilbo. “I know what he needs. I’ve been taking care of him since he was born.”

Thorin tried to stay out of it, but Bilbo was pushing it. “And I haven’t? I have no idea what he needs?”

“Of course you have, but-“

“You’re saying it like you’re the only one capable of taking care of him,” Thorin interrupted. “He’s two. It’s not rocket science to take care of him.”

“I never said that you don’t know how to take care of him, but you showed more than once how much he means to you. Being a parent is a full time job and if Theo is in your way you won’t go near him.”

Thorin glared at him, but didn’t say anything.

“What? You know that’s the truth.” Everyone was staring at Bilbo, but he kept his eyes on Thorin, knowing that it will hurt him. “You pretend that Theo and I don’t exist every time Dana is around. Because she feels _uncomfortable_ in our presence.”

“Who’s Dana?”

“Thorin’s fiancée,” quickly answered Bilbo. “Don’t tell me he didn’t tell you he’s engaged.”

One of the roommates shook his head while others just stared in silence, not knowing whether to stay or to leave as quickly as possible.

“So you two weren’t dating when you got… you know… pregnant?”

“Of course not,” scoffed Bilbo, “I was drunk and Thorin wanted to win a bet so he slept with me. He hated me for months after he found out I was pregnant. He probably wished he didn’t.”

Suddenly Thorin gripped his wrist. “That’s not true and you know it,” he hissed, trying to ignore Theodore, who was watching them with everyone else in the room.

Bilbo winced in pain and pulled his hand back.

“You hated me. You hated the idea of me living with you while I was pregnant. You did everything possible to make me feel like crap! It was hard for you to go to a doctor’s appointment with me. You ignored me for most of the time, and when you didn’t, you yelled at me and told me many times how I’m nothing more than a living incubator! The whole school laughed at me when they found out I was pregnant and that you slept with me because of a bet! Because I was a nobody, some you could play with and toss away! You made sure I regretted falling in love with you! But what hurt the most is that you allowed them to take _my_ baby away from me when I just wanted to see him!”

Bilbo was on the verge of crying, but Thorin was too hurt to care.

“And then I sold him like cattle. Oh, I forgot, that was you!” Thorin spat back, angry that he and Bilbo were playing this game again.

He felt better after the words left his mouth, but only for a second. Because in that second his mind caught up with him and he realized what he just said. He didn’t mean it, he wanted to take it back. But it was too late. Bilbo was already gone and everyone disappeared into their rooms a moment later, leaving him alone with his son.

:::

The rest of the morning passed in a blur. Theo knew something was wrong so he was unusually quiet. He still wanted to play and do all the things they normally did, but without any fuss.

Thorin was dreading the hour when he would have to take him back to Bilbo. Will they be even able to look each other in the eyes after what has been said? Maybe it wouldn’t be this difficult if they hadn’t had this discussion in front of complete strangers. Maybe it was for the best. They finally got what was bothering them out of their system. But the question was – how many times more will this have to happen before they’ll be able to put all behind them?

It felt like they had the same argument every time. They always argued about what happened before Theo was born. When will they start arguing about things that happened after Theo was born? Even though Thorin didn’t like to admit it, they had nuclear capability when they were arguing with each other. He hoped they’ll be able to lower their guns for Theo’s sake, when he knocked on Bilbo’s door.

Luckily it was Adrian who opened the door and Theo ran inside calling for Bilbo.

“Everything okay?” Adrian asked.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” lied Thorin. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, Bilbo’s upset and he won’t tell me what’s bothering him so I thought you would know something. You know him better than I do, you know when he’s hiding something. Maybe you two could talk. He’s more likely to confide in you than me…”

Thorin was about to tell him that he’s imagining things, that Bilbo is okay, but then Bilbo walked in with Theo in his arms and Thorin knew that Bilbo was far from okay.

He nodded in agreement and Adrian visibly relaxed.

“Take Theodore with you.”

“What? No! I don’t know what are you two playing, but you’re not taking Theo away from me!” interrupted Bilbo and turned away from Adrian, who tried to take Theo away from him.

“Bilbo, we need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. Now leave me alone. And you, stop trying to take my son away from me!” he hissed at Adrian.

“You’re acting like a child,” said Thorin.

“Me? Acting like a child?”

“Yes, you.” Thorin walked over and took Theo away from Bilbo and handed him to Adrian. The two-year-old went into his arms without protest. “Making a tantrum every time you have to do something you don’t like.”

“Don’t you dare leave this room,” threatened Bilbo to Adrian who completely ignored him.

“Call me when you’re done talking.”

And with that Adrian left with Theo. Bilbo was furious and was about to go after him, but Thorin held him back.

“What do you think you’re doing?” asked Bilbo as he pulled his arm from Thorin’s hold. “How dare you take _my_ son away from me?!”

“We need to talk,” said Thorin as calmly as he could.

“There’s nothing to talk about. We already said everything there was to say.” Bilbo looked hurt and Thorin couldn’t help but to feel bad about it.

“Why did you do it?”

“Did what?”

“Did what-? Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. Why did you say all those things?”

“Because they are true!”

“So you tell everyone that you meet that I slept with you because I made a bet with Bofur, that I made your life miserable, but you don’t say a word about that we dated.”

“You’re engaged. Dating you is so two years ago. I don’t even remember it anymore.”

Thorin studied him for a moment. “That hurt, and you know it. We used to be in love.”

“That was before you were engaged.”

“Again with this!”

“Yes, again! I’m tired of your mixed signals, I had enough! You tell me you love me and the next second you pretend I don’t exist.”

“Because whenever I let you close you do your best to make me look like a monster. I can’t imagine what my roommates think about me now.” Thorin ran his hand over his face and sighed. “We have nuclear capability and we’re prepared to hurt each other just to prove we’re right. Don’t you realize we’re hurting Theodore. When we were together we were invincible.”

"Being amicable isn't in our blood,” said Bilbo coldly. “I've realized we're not friends. Friends have to like each other. And after what happened today, I could never like you."

“I could never like you either.” Thorin regretted his words the moment the left his mouth. But Bilbo was pushing it and he couldn’t help it. Bilbo brought the best and the worst in him. _Don_ _’_ _t push me away like you always do. Please don_ _’_ _t do it._

“I think we’re done here. You know the way out.”

:::

They were back to ignoring each other. Which was fine – in a way. At least Theo didn’t seem to notice that his parents barely spoke to each other. Adrian smiled warmly every time Thorin came for Theo or brought him back, but other than that he didn’t try to interfere. Thorin had a feeling he was enjoying too much that he and Bilbo weren’t speaking to each other. He didn’t know for sure if he and Bilbo were now living together, since he didn’t ask, but the fact was that Adrian was always there. He was there with his son or he was being sickening cute around Bilbo and Thorin hated him. He was always polite and never said anything, but he wanted to punch his face every time that bastard wrapped his arms around Bilbo, or worse - kissed him.

As much as he preferred to ignore Bilbo rather than fight with him, Thorin quickly realized they won’t be able to avoid each other forever.

“I thought you knew the way out,” said Bilbo one day after Thorin brought Theo back to him. Strangely Adrian was nowhere to be seen. “I could show you again if you’d like.”

“I didn’t come here to fight,” told him Thorin calmly. “I just came to tell you that I’ll be going home for a few days.”

Bilbo stared at him for a few seconds. “And you came here to tell me I’ll have to look after Theo all by myself. Don’t worry, I’m used to it.”

“I’m sure you could. Look, it’s Dwalin’s birthday-“

“I don’t know why you’re telling me this,” interrupted Bilbo. “I don’t care. You can go if you want.”

“It’s Dwalin’s birthday,” continued Thorin, “and since Balin can’t come he’ll be staying with us.”

“Don’t care.”

“Fine, you don’t care. I’m telling you this because Ori asked for you and wanted to know if you’ll be coming too. And your mother misses you-“

“Why were you talking with mother?”

Thorin shrugged. “She calls me sometimes and we talk. It’s mostly about Theodore. And sometimes you,” he added.

“My mother calls you so she can talk to you about me?! We’re not together! What could you possibly tell her about me that she doesn’t already know? You told her about Adrian, didn’t you?! You called my mum and told her what happened and you probably describe Adrian as a monster! How could you?!”

Thorin held himself back, otherwise he would start yelling too. “I haven’t said a word about Adrian. When she calls we talk about school and how you’re doing, nothing else.”

“Don’t you ever dare tell my mother what happened between us.”

“Unlike you, I know how to keep things private,” Thorin said back. “So, are you coming with me or not?”

:::

Bilbo insisted for a few days that he won’t be going _anywhere_ with Thorin. That he preferred to starve for a few days than to spend a few hours trapped inside a car with him. And that’s exactly what happened.

His mum called and asked when is he coming to visit and if he knew that Thorin was coming back for a few days. And he knew he was trapped. He had to go, there was no other option.

He sulked all the way back home, sitting with his arms crossed over his chest and looking out of the window while Thorin and Theo sang all children's songs that were on that cursed CD. Bilbo had nothing against the CD when it was just him and Theo, but when he saw how much Theo enjoyed singing with Thorin Bilbo started hating it.

For crying out loud! Theo had problems forming complete sentences, and here he was singing with Thorin. Or at least trying to. And he was so adorable. And Bilbo hated it all the more. He couldn’t wait for the ride to be over.

“Papa sing!”

“No thank you,” said Bilbo and looked out of the window.

Thorin rolled his eyes. “The crown isn’t going to fall off your head if you sing with him.”

“Why would I, since you’re doing such an amazing job?!”

“Fine. Sulk. I don’t care what you do.” Thorin looked back at Theo in the rear mirror and smiled when Theo continued to sing.

:::

The party was in full swing by the evening. It was loud and crowded, but people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Fíli and Kíli were nowhere to be seen, Thorin was, as expected, with Dana talking with some of her friends, Dwalin was laughing about something with his guests, while Bilbo and Ori were in the living room.

"So?" asked Ori all excited. "You and Thorin?"

Bilbo took a sip of his juice before he looked where Thorin was standing with his fiancé. "There is no me and Thorin. There is Thorin and there's me. There is no _us._ "

"But you two are living together-"

"Were," interrupted Bilbo. "We were living together. We're not anymore."

Ori couldn't believe what he was hearing. "When did that happen? Thorin hasn't said a thing."

"A few weeks ago," answered Bilbo.

"What happened?"

"We had a fight."

"Where is Thorin staying now?"

"He asked for another room."

"And you're now living with Adrian?" Ori knew he made a mistake the moment he finished that sentence. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "Dwalin made me do it. He knows you and Thorin are fighting over Adrian."

"Don't worry, I'm not mad at you. I know you know everything. Thorin probably calls Dwalin every week to complain about me."

"Every day, actually," silently corrected Ori.

"Great. Every day. At least Thorin has someone to talk to while I have no one."

"You could talk with Adrian," offered Ori, "I heard you two were close."

"Me and Adrian are not close-"

"Well, you did sleep with him," Ori pointed out.

Bilbo's eyes widened in shock. "Sleep with him? Who told you that?"

"Thorin did. He said he practically lives with you."

"Who? Adrian? He doesn't live with me. He comes to visit when Thorin comes over," said Bilbo innocently while sipping his drink.

"So you invite Adrian to come over every time you know Thorin will come as well?" asked Ori and Bilbo took a sip of his drink as he nodded. "Do you know how mean that is? Thorin believes you're sleeping with him!"

"Keep it down, will you. I don't care what Thorin thinks."

"Oh really? Then why are you trying to hurt him?"

"Because he hurt me!" snapped Bilbo at Ori.

"And you hurt him! You two are old enough to know how to do the right thing, but you're still acting like kids."

"Excuse me, he brought his fiancé to this party."

"He didn't. She just came and glued herself to his arm," corrected Ori as they both looked to where Thorin was standing with her.

Bilbo shook his head. "It doesn't matter how she came or with whom. They are engaged…" Bilbo didn't get to finish that sentence. "Oh no," he said as he put his drink down and stood up.

"What? What happened?" asked Ori in panic, but Bilbo was already gone.

"Theo! Theo come back!" Bilbo called as he hurried after the two-year-old who easily disappeared in the crowd. This was the fourth time Theo has come downstairs. How, Bilbo did not know, but it seemed that every time Bilbo took him back to bed Theo came back and then it was up to Bilbo to find him and take him back to bed. "Theo!"

"Did he come down again?" asked Ori as he appeared at Bilbo side.

"I don't know how he managed all those stairs, but yes, he came down again. Help me find him, please."

Ori nodded before he too disappeared in the crowd.

"Theo!" called Bilbo again. With the house full like this it wasn't hard for Theo to become an escape artist.

Bilbo was slowly starting to panic. Usually he found his son in a matter of minutes, but now Theo was nowhere to be seen. "Theo!" he called once again, hoping that his son will realize that it's time for his little game to end and come back. It was difficult to navigate through the crowd while looking at people's feet trying to find a two-year-old. He was about to go to Thorin and ask him for help when he spotted his son.

Theo was safe in Thorin's arms with his arms wrapped around his father's neck, while Thorin continued the conversation he was having with the group of Dwalin's guests.

Bilbo let out a sigh of relief before he approached them to take Theo back to bed.

"Papa!" smiled Theo as Thorin handed him over without saying a word.

"Aww... He's so cute," one of the girls cooed and pinched Theo's cheek. "How old is he?"

"Almost two and a half," answered Bilbo as he adjusted Theo in his arms.

The girl smiled. "He your younger brother?"

Bilbo frowned. Theo just called for him. Things couldn't be more obvious than that. "He's my son," he stated plainly and the girl's eyes widened.

"Your son?"

"Yes, my son."

"So you must have had him-"

"When I was seventeen, yes," finished Bilbo before she could. He didn't like her judging tone and he wanted to get as quickly as possible. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to put him to bed."

Theo rested his head on Bilbo's shoulder while he carried him upstairs.

"You're not being a very good boy when you're coming downstairs. And you keep running away from me," said Bilbo as he put Theo on his bed and sat down next to him. "You were supposed to be sleeping."

"Not tired," whined Theo.

"You had a bath, you had _three_ stories and I stayed with you every time until you fell asleep. It's very late and boys your age are all sleeping, except you," added Bilbo and tickled Theo's stomach so that the boy giggled.

"I am two. And a half," said Theo as if that would explain everything.

"Yes, you're almost two and a half and you should be sleeping. You will be tired in the morning if you don't, and we're going to see grandma tomorrow."

"Yay!"

"Now go to sleep," smiled Bilbo. "I'll stay with you until you do."

"Story?"

"You already had three-"

"Please..." whined Theo and how in the world could Bilbo say no to that face?

:::

"Is he asleep?" was the first thing Thorin asked when Bilbo came back downstairs. Luckily Dana was nowhere to be seen.

"Yeah. He got another bedtime story and he fell asleep. Hopefully this time for real."

"He came downstairs three times tonight," pointed out Thorin.

"I know Thorin. What would you have me do?"

"My idea was to lock him in but you told me I couldn't do that."

"You cannot lock a two-year-old in a room!" said Bilbo outraged.

"I know," smiled Thorin. "I was joking."

"It wasn't funny," pouted Bilbo when Thorin continued to grin. "Someone will hear you and call social services and tell them we're locking our son in his room."

Thorin shrugged. "I locked Kíli in his room when he was being particularly annoying."

"That was different. He was your brother."

"I know. Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid. Why don't you go you go check on him in half an hour and then we can take turns to make sure he stays in bed," suggested Thorin. "If he's not there we find each other and look for him. How does that sound?"

"We could do that," agreed Bilbo. "But if he wakes up again, it's your turn to read him another story."

"Fine with me," smiled Thorin.

:::

Bilbo didn't understand why Theo kept waking up. The party wasn't loud, and he was usually a heavy sleeper. If he needed something he would have found one of his parents and just ask for it. But now every time Theo came downstairs he looked for someone who would hold him. It was strange but Bilbo decided not to think about it. He and Thorin were taking turns to make sure Theo stayed in bed and so far Theo continued to sleep like he was supposed to.

It was now the third time for Bilbo to go check on him and he expected to find him sleeping, but sadly he didn't. The moment Bilbo noticed the opened doors he knew that Theo was once again awake. He quickly checked the room to make sure he was right before he hurried downstairs and looked for Thorin.

"Excuse me," he said as he took Thorin's arm and pulled him away from the people he was currently talking to.

"What do you think you're doing?"demanded Dana. "You can't just come here and tell him what to do!"

Bilbo decided to ignore her and spoke to Thorin. "Theo is not in his bed."

“You sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“He was there half an hour ago.”

“Well, he’s not there anymore. Can you please help me find him?”

“You and Ori can check the living room, Dwalin, Fíli and Kíli and I can check the rest.”

Bilbo nodded before he hurried to find Ori to help him look for their son.

“Thorin!” hissed Dana when Thorin disappeared in the crowd, but Thorin didn’t even look back.

Thorin moved as quickly as he could through the crowd, ignoring the curious glances while he looked for his son and tried to find Dwalin. He didn’t understand how Theodore managed to disappear so many times in one evening. It never happened before and Thorin was worried that something might happen to him in a house full of strangers.

“Can I steal you for a moment?” he asked before he pulled his best friend away from his friends. “I need you to help me find Theodore,” Thorin quickly explained before Dwalin had a chance to ask or protest for being so rudely pulled away from the people he was talking to.

“Find him?” questioned Dwalin. “You lost your son?”

Thorin didn’t understand why Dwalin thought this was funny. “ _We_ ,” corrected Thorin, “didn’t lose him. He has trouble sleeping and he keeps coming downstairs. Bilbo and I have been chasing him the entire evening.”

“Well Thráin must be pissed,” commented Dwalin and Thorin immediately stopped to look back at him.

“My father? What has my father to do with all this?”

“He has brought him downstairs at least two times tonight. If Theodore kept escaping him, he must be really tired.” Dwalin looked at Thorin and realized that his best friend had no idea what he was talking about. “I’m guessing you had no idea…”

“No! Why didn’t you say anything?!”

“How was I supposed to know that you didn’t ask Thráin to watch over him?”

“Would I leave my son in the care of my crazy father?!”

“When you say it like that… We need to find Thráin.”

Thorin nodded. “We need to find him quickly.”

“Who knows what he’s planning to do with Theodore.”

“That’s not making me feel any better,” said Thorin angrily back. “Just hurry.”

They searched everywhere and they didn’t find Theodore or Thráin. Fíli and Kíli searched all the rooms upstairs while he and Dwalin helped Ori and Bilbo search downstairs.

“He’s not here,” said Bilbo, who was completely pale. “He’s not here,” he repeated and Thorin wanted to hug him and tell him that everything’s going to be alright.

“Bilbo, I think that my father-“

“Thorin!” interrupted Fíli before Thorin could tell Bilbo that he believe his father kidnapped their son. “The garage is locked!”

“What?” asked Bilbo, confused why that was important.

“He’s trying to take him away,” said Dwalin before he and Thorin ran inside, Ori and Bilbo right behind them.

“Thorin, what’s going on?” asked Bilbo when he caught him trying the open the door that lead to the garage.

“I think my father took Theodore,” quickly explained Thorin before he started banging on the door. He would knock them down if necessary. “Dad, open up!”

Bilbo needed a moment to realize what was happening before he joined Thorin. “Thráin! Open this door! Thráin! You can’t take him.”

With all the noise they were making they didn’t realize that everyone has quieted down and stared at them.

  
“Thráin! Dad! Open this door!”

That was all Thráin heard on the other side of the door, but he decided to ignore it. He had a screaming and kicking child to put in the car-seat. He was lucky that Thorin always left the keys in his car. It made the whole thing a lot easier. He would need to keep the child safe, it was crucial that the child was kept safe and that meant seating him in his car seat while he was crying for his parents.

  
“I can hear him!” said Bilbo after he pressed his ear to the door. “Theo is in there and he’s crying! Thorin do something! He’s going to take him!”

“I’m trying, stop yelling at me!”

“We should take down the door,” suggested Dwalin.

“No time,” said Thorin. He had his ear pressed to the door and he heard his car being started and the garage door opening up. He quickly ran out of the house toward the garage, hoping to stop his father.

Bilbo followed him as quickly as he could and sucked in a breath when Thorin jumped in front of a moving car with Dwalin following close behind. They were lucky that Thráin stopped the car before anyone would get hurt.

“What are you doing?!” demanded to know Thorin. “Have you lost your mind?!”

“Get away boy,” called Thráin, “or I’ll drive over you!”

“Stop the car immediately!”

“You’re not going to tell me what to do!”

“This is my car and that is my son you took!”

Bilbo finally reached them and tried the doors while Thorin and Dwalin continued to stand in front of the car. “It’s locked!” Theo started crying even harder when he realized that Bilbo couldn’t get to him.

“Dad, stop the car and open the door,” growled Thorin. “You’re not taking my son anywhere.”

“They are going to take him! He’s in danger!”

“Open the door, you crazy man!” cried Bilbo as he desperately tried to get to his son. He didn’t want to sound so desperate, but he couldn’t help it. Theo was doing his best to pull himself out of the car-seat he was trapped in and Bilbo couldn’t do anything to help him.

“Papa!” cried Theo.

“Thorin do something!”

“Thráin, open the door!” called Dwalin.

“They are going to take him!”

“No one is going to take him! Now open the door!” Thorin was slowly losing his patience. Bilbo was crying, his son was crying and half of the house came out to see his crazy father. What will people think after a spectacle like that?

“We could break one of the windows,” suggested Dwalin.

“How about we leave my car in one piece,” snapped Thorin back. “He’s trapped, he can’t go anywhere.”

A moment later Fíli and Kíli joined them and now Thráin had nowhere to go. His only option was to surrender.

The moment he turned off the car and unlocked the door, Thorin opened the doors and yanked the keys out of his hand.

“Leave him to me,” said Dwalin as he pulled Thorin back. He could deal with Thráin while Thorin took care of his family.

“I’m here sweetheart, I’m here, just give me a moment.” Bilbo was crying and shaking so much he couldn’t even get Theo out of the car.

Luckily Thorin was able to keep a clear head as he gently pulled him back. “Allow me.” Bilbo nodded and gave Thorin enough space to get their son out of the car.

Theo immediately wrapped his arms around his father’s neck and continued to cry. He was shaking almost as much as Bilbo did and Thorin knew they needed some privacy to calm down. He wrapped his arm around Bilbo’s waist and led him inside the house without stopping or meeting any of the curious glances. They went upstairs to his room where they could take a few minutes to calm down.

Theo stopped crying in his father’s arms, but was still visibly shaken and refused to let go of Thorin.

“Can I take him?” asked Bilbo the moment Thorin closed the doors behind them. “Please, I need to hold him.”

Thorin nodded and passed Theo over. He had to pry Theo’s hands away from his neck because the two-year-old refused to let go of him, but when he was passed into Bilbo’s waiting arms he immediately glued to him as if his life depended on it.

Bilbo buried his nose in his son’s curls and wrapped his arms tightly around him. He never again wanted to let go of him. He felt two strong arms wrap around him so he closed his eyes and allowed Thorin to pull him into an embrace.

It was hard to say how much time they stayed like that, but when Bilbo finally opened his eyes he wasn’t crying anymore and his and Theo’s breathing has returned to normal. Thorin cupped his cheeks in his hand and forced him to look him in the eyes.

“Feeling better?”

Bilbo closed his eyes and nodded. He felt Thorin press a gentle kiss to his forehead, but he didn’t mind.

“You two can stay here. I’ll make sure no one disturbs you.”

“Where are you going?” quietly asked Bilbo.

“Downstairs. I have to go check on my father and deal with…everything.”

“When are you coming back?”

Bilbo’s question confused Thorin a little since he wasn’t expecting it. He couldn’t remember the last time Bilbo asked for his company. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” promised Thorin and pressed another kiss to his forehead.

“Hurry,” whispered Bilbo after him.

:::

When he woke up, what he guessed was a few hours later, he realized he was sleeping in Thorin’s be with Theo right next to him, but Thorin was nowhere to be seen. The house was quiet, too quiet in his opinion. And the events of the evening came back to him. He was hoping it was just a horrible nightmare, but sadly it was all true. Thráin tried to kidnap his son and just the thought of that send shivers down Bilbo’s spine.

He remembered Thorin bringing them up here, kissing him, offering him comfort, and he also remembered Thorin’s promise to come back. But now Thorin wasn’t here. Maybe he didn’t want to intrude, but Bilbo thought he was clear enough when he said he wanted Thorin by his side. He _needed_ him by his side.

He turned around to check the time. It was almost three in the morning. He turned back to his son and ran a hand through his hair. How he envied him. Theo was sleeping peacefully and Bilbo wanted to do the same, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen. He had too much on his mind to go back to sleep.

He slowly got up from the bed, making sure not to wake up his son. His son was sound asleep and Bilbo was sure that he wasn’t going to wake up anytime soon so he decided to clear his head. He gently closed the doors before making his way downstairs.

The house was quiet and dark and Bilbo expected everyone to be asleep at this hour so he was quite surprised when he saw the light coming from under one of the doors. Curiosity got the better of him and he had to check who was awake at this hour. He slowly opened the door only to hear someone abruptly stopping the beautiful melody that was playing.

“Bilbo?”

Bilbo looked surprised when he saw Thorin sitting behind the grand piano. “Oh, it’s you…”

Thorin offered him a warm smile. “Can’t sleep?” Bilbo shook his head an Thorin patted a place next to him, silently inviting Bilbo to join him.

“I didn’t know you played,” commented Bilbo when he sat down next to him.

“Only when I have nothing better to do,” answered Thorin with a sigh before he continued playing. Bilbo rested his head on Thorin’s shoulder and closed his eyes, allowing the melody to take his mind somewhere else.

“I hated piano lessons as a kid,” admitted Thorin and Bilbo couldn’t help but smile at the thought of a young Thorin, who was forced to sit for hours to learn how to play.

“All the hard work paid off,” said Bilbo. “You’re playing beautifully. Why didn’t you ever tell me you know how to play?”

“I don’t play it often. Mostly when I’m upset.”

“Or when you have nothing better to do,” added Bilbo with a smile.

“Or that,” smiled Thorin back.

Bilbo met his eyes and couldn’t help but to return the smile. “I haven’t thanked you for what you did tonight.”

“You don’t need to thank me when I should be apologizing-“

“No,” quickly interrupted Bilbo, “this wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known this would happen.”

“I asked you to come,” argued Thorin. “I asked you to come with me, if I didn’t Theodore would be safe-“

“He is safe,” assured him Bilbo. “He’s sleeping in your room. He’s fine. We’re both fine, thanks to you.”

“I’m just glad that you’re both okay,” added Thorin just above a whisper when Bilbo moved closer to him.

They kept looking at each other when they slowly leaned closer as if they were waiting for the other one to make the first move. And then suddenly they reached an agreement and Thorin captured Bilbo’s lips with his own. Or was it the other way around?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been 84 years...
> 
> I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I wish I could promise you regular updates now but sadly I can't.  
> This chapter is what it is. I admit that it could use a little more work but I did my best.
> 
> Google drive finally started working again on all my computers so now everything I write gets synchronized and I don't get a heart attack when half of the chapter I wrote is missing.
> 
> Next chapter: "I saw you. And Thorin. I saw you exiting the bathroom with Thorin right behind you looking like a cat that ate the canary."


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I saw you. And Thorin. I saw you exiting the bathroom with Thorin right behind you looking like a cat that ate the canary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are mine.

There was something warm and solid lying next to him. Someone was in his bed! Bilbo jumped away in panic when he realized he wasn’t alone.

“Stop moving,” mumbled Thorin into the pillow before he relaxed again. He was sleeping on his stomach with his hands under the pillow.

“Oh, god,” sighed Bilbo as he slumped back into the pillows next to Thorin. “I will never learn! My life is a series or mistakes.”

“I’m trying to sleep here…”

Bilbo rolled his eyes before he lifted the covers up. Yup, they were both naked. “Oh, god…”

“Few hours ago you were moaning my name,” teased Thorin, “what changed?”

“Oh, god…”

“My name is Thorin, but since I made you see stars last night I guess you can call me… Ouch!”

“Don’t be an ass,” scolded Bilbo after he slapped his arm. “This is all your fault!”

“My fault? How is this my fault?”

“You- You dragged me here!”

“Dragged you here?”

“Yes!”  
  
  
_“Mmph…” Bilbo pushed Thorin back so that he could speak. “Not here.”_

_“Why not?” Asked Thorin, lips swollen from all the kissing._

_“Because I don’t want to have sex on the piano! It’s uncomfortable and someone could walk in any minute.”_

_“Everyone’s asleep,” argued Thorin._

_“We’re not having sex here,” repeated Bilbo firmly._

_“Fine! Where would you like to go?”_  
  
  
“That’s not how I remember it,” said Thorin. “You were the one-“

“Yes! Fine! It was me! Get over it!” Bilbo was about to get out of the bed, angry at himself that he once again slept with Thorin, when Thorin caught him around the waist and pulled him back on the bed.

“Where are you going?”

“Away from you!”

“You look ravishing when you’re upset,” Thorin whispered in his ear while he held him back against his chest. It wasn’t like Bilbo was trying to escape. He seemed perfectly content exactly where he was.

“Thorin,” warned Bilbo when Thorin’s hand went lower.

“Yes?” Asked Thorin innocently.

Bilbo tried to fight Thorin’s charm, he really did, but it was impossible to beat it. The best thing was to give in and make the best of it. “We won’t speak about what happened here, we won’t even hint about it. Agreed?”

With one swift motion Thorin switched them so that Bilbo was on his back and that he was on top of him. “Agreed,” he said before claiming Bilbo’s lips once again.

And they were back at it once again, with Thorin worshiping every part of Bilbo’s body, kissing every inch of his skin, with Bilbo moaning beneath him, asking for more.

“Since- Oh, that’s nice,” Bilbo rolled his eyes backwards when Thorin kissed the inside of his thigh, stealing his thought for a second. Or a few. “Since we’re- You’re impossible!” He complained as he pulled Thorin by his hair to make him stop. “Since we’re in my room - do you have any condoms left?” he finally managed to ask.

“I think-“

“Good morning!” Suddenly the door opened and Nola walked in with Theo on her hip. Bilbo had barely enough time to pull the covers over Thorin and himself. If Nola saw anything she didn’t show it. “I believe this belongs to you,” she smiled as she put Theo down.

“Papa!”

“Hello sweetheart,” smiled Bilbo awkwardly.

“I found him in Thorin’s room. He was waiting for you.”

“I’m sorry, I completely forgot he was there. I hope that Thorin didn’t mind.”

“Oh, I don’t think he did,” answered Nola and Bilbo immediately knew she knew more than she was letting on. “Breakfast is in twenty. Don’t be late.” She was about to leave when she suddenly turned around. “That means you too, Thorin.”

“I don’t eat breakfast,” said Thorin from under the covers and Bilbo’s eyes widened in mortification.

“Don’t be late,” ordered Nola, before she closed the door behind her.

The moment the doors closed behind her Bilbo pulled the covers over his head so that he could look at Thorin who still had his head between his legs. “She knows!”

“Relax, she won’t tell anyone.”

“What you doing?” Asked Theo when he came closer to the bed, still clutching to his toy.

“Nothing sweetheart,” said Bilbo as he pulled the covers back.

“Daddy?”

“I’m here!” called Thorin when he stuck his head from under the covers. He and Bilbo were still naked and he really didn’t want to explain to a curious two year old what they were doing so that they are both naked. “Theodore, would you be so kind and bring me my boxers, they are right over there,” said Thorin and pointed to his boxers that were lying on the floor with the rest of his clothing.

Theo studied him for a second before he did like he was asked.

Once Thorin had his boxers on he got up from the bed and tossed Bilbo his pants and shirt so that he too could get dressed.

“Okay,” smiled Bilbo when he got up from the bed. He somehow managed to pull his pants on under the cover preventing Theo from seeing anything. He quickly pulled his shirt on and took Theo’s hand.

“What’s this?” asked Theo as he pointed to the condom wrappers lying next to the bed.

“Nothing sweetheart,” distracted him Bilbo. “Let’s go cleaned up.” He turned to Thorin and mouthed to him to clean them up.

“Why do I have to do it?”

“Just do it before someone else sees,” hissed Bilbo at him and Thorin rolled his eyes before he did what he was told.

:::

“Good morning!” greeted Kíli when Thorin joined them downstairs for breakfast. Bilbo and Theo were already there and he was the last one to arrive. “How did you sleep?”

“Fine,” answered Thorin as if he had absolutely nothing to hide while Bilbo quickly looked away.

“That’s interesting.”

“What are you trying to prove, Kíli?”

“Nothing. I was just wondering where you were all night since the only one sleeping in your bed was Theo.”

“I was there.”

“No you weren’t.”

“I was,” hissed Thorin.

“No. You. Weren’t.” Kíli said back. “I sure Bilbo knows where you were.”

“Pancakes!”

“Of course you can have them,” smiled Nola at Theo. While they were bickering Kíli and Thorin didn’t even notice Nola coming in, asking them what they wanted for breakfast. Thorin let out a sigh of relief. Distracted by Theo, who continued to repeat that he wanted pancakes for breakfast Kíli seemed to forget about the conversation they were having.

“Pancakes! Pancakes!”

“Yes, she heard you,” smiled Bilbo as he tried to calm Theo down. “You will get pancakes. What do we say Theo?”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” smiled Nola.

“I want them too,” said Kíli before adding his most polite ‘please’.

“How’s Thráin?” asked Bilbo.

“Better,” answered Thorin. “The pills seemed to be working. He’s in his room.”

“Apparently he forgot to take them,” filled in Fíli with his mouth full of cereal.

“But isn’t it weird that he looks more confused now that he did before?” asked Kíli. “There’s that strange look in his eyes… And he keeps repeating that someone is going to take Theo.”

“Don’t worry, nothing is going to happen to Theodore,” assured him Thorin. “I’ll make sure of it.”

And Bilbo felt relieved that Thorin was going to take care of their son. Whether he was really in danger or not.

:::

“You really don’t have to come,” said Bilbo as they were walking down the stairs. After breakfast it was decided that they are going to visit Bilbo’s parents and Thorin offered to come with.

“It really is no problem. Anything to get away from this crazy house for a few hours.”

They made their way to the garage where Bilbo called for Theo and offered him his hand, but the two year old had no intention to come any closer to the car. “Theo, come on, let’s go. We’re going to see grandma,” encouraged Bilbo, but Theo refused to move.

“Theodore, let’s go.”

“No!”

Slowly tears started falling down his cheeks and Thorin knew they won’t be going anywhere. Last night events seemed to be catching up with their son and now Theo didn’t want to go near the car that he was locked in the night before.

“There is no point in forcing him, Thorin. It’s a beautiful day outside, a short walk won’t hurt us.”

Thorin wanted to point out that it wasn’t a short walk, but he decided to stay quiet. Bilbo’s parents didn’t live very far, but he knew that with Theo walking with them it could twice as long to get there. But at least Theo seemed happy with the new plan and he gladly accepted both of his parent’s hands as they walked out of the house.

But Thorin knew what will happen. After the first ten minutes of running and jumping around Theo realized they weren’t there yet and he resigned himself to walking while holding Thorin’s hand. With every minute that passed, he became more bored and soon he was clinging to Thorin’s hand asking if he could be carried.

It didn’t take long for Thorin to become tired of all the whining and he lifted him up on his shoulders.

“Just be careful,” said Bilbo with an amused smile playing on his lips.

“Yay!” said Theo cheerfully when he was given the better view of the world around him.

“Don’t pull my hair,” warned Thorin. “Someone already did this morning.”

“I thought you liked it,” teased the younger man and Thorin sent him a look.

“I like when you run your fingers through my hair, but I don’t like it when you pull at it.”

“I promise not to do that next time.”

Thorin heard what Bilbo said, but he couldn’t believe it. Did Bilbo really say that? He turned to look Bilbo in the eyes and the younger man offered him a warm smile. There was a hint of naughtiness in it, but he didn’t mind.

“Next time then?” he asked and offered Bilbo his hand while he held Theo’s leg with the other.

:::

Bilbo was not surprised to find his mother waiting for them outside the house. She smiled and waved at them, and when Theo came running to her the moment Thorin put him down, she scooped him up and greeted him with a kiss.

The look she sent Bilbo told him they will have words later and Bilbo couldn’t help but to roll his eyes. He let go of Thorin’s hand some time ago not wanting to explain _anything_ to his mother. He and Thorin agreed not to mention the events of the previous night to Bilbo’s parents. And with that they meant the incident when Thráin tried to take Theo, not what happened in Bilbo’s bedroom a few hours later.

They were ushered inside and Bilbo quickly noticed how much warmly Thorin has been welcomed than him. Especially from his mother who held a conversation with Thorin about this and that until lunch, while Bilbo was left with his father and Frodo, who weren’t a bad company, but he still wished that his mother would pay attention to him and not Theo or Thorin. He was her son not Thorin!

He didn’t even try to hide his jealousy anymore and when lunch was served he made everyone know he didn’t like the attention his mother was giving to Thorin.

“I don’t know why you are so upset,” his mother said. “Thorin at least calls, when you never do.” And Bilbo rolled his eyes at that. He was busy with… _everything_.

“I’m sorry, alright,” Bilbo almost whined. “But I was very busy. This isn’t high school, this is college and it occupies a lot of my time. I’m still trying to get used to everything, and Theo’s there and it was absolutely chaotic.”

Bilbo didn’t expect for Thorin to come to his rescue. “What Bilbo is saying is true. The first few months are always the hardest. I remember when I was a freshman, I didn’t know what I was doing half of the time. It takes some time to get used to it. College life, taking classes, doing homework, studying… But Bilbo is managing everything very well.”

Thorin’s words seemed to appease Belladonna and her anger slowly melted away. But Bilbo’s didn’t. He carried a normal conversation with his parents through lunch, but Thorin knew this was just a farce, that Bilbo was hiding what he was truly feeling and knowing Bilbo he knew it was better to confront the younger man rather than to let him be angry over something. And Thorin really didn’t want Bilbo to be angry at him, especially because he was really looking forward to that promised _later._

“It must have bothered you so much to have a younger brother,” he said to Bilbo while they were doing the dishes after lunch. Bilbo’s parents refused at first, saying that he was a guest, but Thorin insisted, knowing that it was the easiest way to get Bilbo to talk.

“Why would it bother me?” asked Bilbo while he washed another plate. “I didn’t mind having Frodo around. We got along just fine.”

“Yeah, but you had to share your parent’s attention with him.”

“I never had any problems with that. Mum and dad always loved as equally.”

Thorin sent him a look. “You really want me to believe you were never jealous of Frodo? Never?”

Bilbo quickly wiped his hands and went to close the kitchen door. There was no need for everyone to listen them argue since he figured out what Thorin was trying to say. “She is _my_ mother! You have yours. Why do you want mine?”

“She was being nice to me and you kept glaring at me like I’d grown another head!”

“She’s my mother! I don’t understand why she would need to talk to you! You don’t see me talking with your mother about you!”

“You lived with me for six months, it’s not my problem you never did.”

“But she is _my_ mum!”

“And she is the grandmother of my child. I saw nothing wrong with her calling me or me calling her every now or then. And since you never did-“

“Yes, yes, I know,” interrupted Bilbo, “she asked about me too. I get that!”

“Then why does this bother you? I’m not going to steal your mother-“

“Because apparently everyone likes you more than they like me. Even my parents!”

“That’s absurd.”

“No, it’s not. You’re everyone’s favorite.”

Thorin stepped closer and took Bilbo’s hands in his. “You know that’s not true,” he said softly once Bilbo looked him in the eyes. “I’m pretty sure you’re Theodore’s favorite parent.”

“Great,” laughed Bilbo. “A two year old who is better at blackmailing than I ever was. Anyone else?”

Thorin looked him in the eyes before saying something Bilbo didn’t expect him to say.

“Me.”

There was a pregnant pause while Bilbo processed Thorin’s answer.

“Yes. You. You are my number one choice for everything.”

There was another pause, shorter than the first one, before Bilbo surged forward, wanting to kiss Thorin, but Thorin was faster – pushing him back against the counter, stealing Bilbo’s breath before catching his lips with his own. The sharp edge that was biting Bilbo’s back and the uncomfortable height difference that made Bilbo tilt his head back so that he could kiss Thorin back, was quickly resolved. As on command Thorin lifted Bilbo up to sit on the counter and the younger man immediately spread his legs wider before pulling Thorin closer so that they could resume the make out session in a more comfortable position.

“Mahal, I want you,” murmured Thorin in Bilbo’s neck while the younger man had his eyes closed enjoying the ministrations.

“Then take me.”

Thorin immediately pulled back and when the warm feeling of Thorin’s lips on his neck was gone Bilbo’s mind snapped back to reality.

“What?”

“Not here,” quietly hissed Thorin at him. “Your parents are in the next room.”

Bilbo rolled his eyes. “Of course not here. We eat here.”

“Where then?” Thorin asked, hoping that it wasn’t too late, that the mood wasn’t ruined, that Bilbo still wanted it.

“My room,” quickly decided Bilbo and hopped down from the counter.

Thorin felt stupid and he had every right to feel so. He and Bilbo were sneaking behind Bilbo’s parents, Frodo and their son up to Bilbo’s old bedroom for a quickie. He felt so stupid for doing this. He’s never done this before - tried to sneak past someone’s parents for a quick tumble in bed. And it was exciting – the way Bilbo led him up the stairs, knowing that if anyone turned around and noticed them, they would immediately know what they were trying to do.

But they succeeded. They managed to get to Bilbo’s bedroom without getting caught. Success!

The moment he closed the doors Bilbo pulled him down for a kiss, not that Thorin was complaining. His hands were on Bilbo’s lower back trying to keep their balance as he maneuvered them back to the bed without pausing their kissing.

“Not… here…” managed to say Bilbo and Thorin immediately pulled back, confusion visible on his face.

“Why not?”

“The bed creaks, you know that,” reminded him Bilbo. “And they’ll hear.”

Thorin rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Where then?” he wanted to get things moving and he had absolutely no more patience for this. He wanted to tear Bilbo’s clothes down and he wanted to do it now!

“I don’t know,” shrugged Bilbo. “Any ideas?”

“A few,” was Thorin’s short answer before he pushed Bilbo roughly against the closest wall and claimed his lips again.

“Ouch! Be careful, you idiot!”

“Keep quiet!” ordered Thorin and Bilbo knew he meant business. So he didn’t utter a word.

:::

“Papa!”

Thorin was breathing heavily into Bilbo’s neck, his arms and legs were shaking, but he was still able to hold Bilbo up as they recovered from the orgasm.

“That’s Theodore!” said Bilbo while still clinging to Thorin. He wasn’t sure his legs would hold him right now and he was grateful that at least Thorin had the strength left in him to hold them both.

“Papa!”

“Shit, that’s Theodore.” Cursed Thorin loudly and Bilbo smacked him on the back.

“Let me down. Let go, let go, let go. Quickly!”

“Papa!”

Thorin let Bilbo gently down and made sure that his legs were able to hold him before he leaned on the wall trying to catch his breath. He was supposed to be in shape! And now he was panting like he just ran the marathon.

“Papa,” cried Theo once again. He was becoming more and more desperate as he was calling for Bilbo in front of the door.

“Thorin you have to get dressed,” ordered Bilbo while he tried to put on his clothes as quickly as possible.

“What is he even doing here?”

“How should I know? Get dressed!” hissed Bilbo at him.

“Papa!”

“Where is that damn shirt?” wondered Bilbo as he looked for his shirt. They have to get dressed before Theo starts crying otherwise he’ll draw attention to him and people will start asking questions.

The shirt found by Thorin and thrown in his direction, Bilbo caught it and pulled it over his head before opening the door and scooping almost crying Theo up.

“Papa!”

“Hey sweetheart. What’s got you so upset?” asked Bilbo as he wiped a few tears that escaped. Theo was looking much happier now that he was in his father’s arms.

“Want to play!”

“Okay, let’s go play,” smiled Bilbo. He hurried down the stairs still looking disheveled and met Frodo half the way.

"What were you doing?" his brother asked after he sent him a questioning look and followed him downstairs.

"Nothing," Bilbo brushed him off.

"Theo was calling for you. Didn't you hear him?"

"I did!"

"Then why didn't you-"

"Look Theo, blocks," interrupted Bilbo, diverting his attention somewhere else. "Do you want to play with them?"

"Yes!"

Frodo knew something happened. Otherwise Bilbo wouldn't try to dismiss him so quickly. But he knew he won't be getting any answers from his brother, especially now that his parents were there keeping a close eye on them both and their grandson.

Bilbo was glad that Frodo didn't press the subject further and that he didn't say a word. He didn't want to explain what he and Thorin did in his room. He really didn't. Speaking of the devil... Thorin came down a few minutes later, looking much better than Bilbo did - or at least he didn't look like he just had sex and had to hurry to get dressed to not raise suspicion.

And if Bilbo expected Thorin to tease him or to hint to what has happened to embarrass him that didn't happen. To Bilbo's surprise Thorin behaved like a gentleman going as far as asking him if he was in any pain since in their haste the preparation has been minimal.

Once assured that everything was okay Thorin visibly relaxed and they spent the rest of the day like they normally would. With them mostly ignoring each other and Theo being loud and lively, demanding everyone's attention. Until it was time to go back. Then Theo was suddenly asleep in Bilbo's arms, refusing to wake up. The truth was he fell asleep during the cartoon they were all watching at his request, but Thorin still insisted he did it on purpose. Mainly so that he would be carried back home. Thorin even went so far to threaten to boy that they were going to leave him here if he doesn't wake up, but when Theo didn't even move at Thorin's words, it was Bilbo's turn to scold him for saying something like that before he handed Theo over and Thorin had no other choice but to carry his sleeping son back home.

And Thorin swore that if the little monster woke up and demanded their attention because he got enough sleep, Bilbo would be the one taking care of him.

:::

Bilbo was enjoying a hot shower after a long day. He needed to wash the sweat off, and other things as well, before going to bed. It was a long day and he was tired. He wanted to climb into his bed and go to sleep. Luckily Thorin offered to put Theo to bed so there was one less thing for him to do before he could finally get some rest.

And then he suddenly heard something and he felt his hairs stand up. He wasn't alone in the bathroom anymore. Someone was there with him. But he couldn't see anything through that damn steamed glass of the shower door!

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

No answer.

For a moment Bilbo contemplated checking if there was someone actually there or if it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. It could be Thráin that once again forgot to take his pills and was now planning to hurt him. Anyone could be there really... Or no one.

"Oh, just pull yourself together Baggins," he said to himself. "There's no one there."

He stepped back under the shower and closed his eyes, allowing the warm water to massage his sore muscles when he suddenly felt two arms wrap around him from behind. He froze at the first touch, but immediately relaxed when he felt a strong body press to his back.

“You know it’s creepy if you just stand there,” chastised Bilbo. “You could have said something.”

“I wasn’t sure if I was welcome,” murmured Thorin into his neck before placing a gentle kiss there.

“Mhmm…” Bilbo completely relaxed under Thorin’s ministrations. “Is Theo asleep?”

“Yes?”

“Your room or his room?”

“His room. I’m not even sure if he knows he’s there. He was half asleep when I was changing him into pajamas.”

“Good,” smiled Bilbo as he turned around and wrapped his arms around Thorin’s neck. “This means you can stay.”

“Oh really?” asked Thorin teasingly and pushed Bilbo against the tiles so that he was the one standing under the shower.

“Really.”

It became a game of theirs, something they both enjoyed. And Bilbo was determined to enjoy it as long as it would last. No strings attached, no feelings, alright, he had to admit there were some feelings involved since it was with Thorin and no matter how much he tried to deny it he still had feelings for him. There was no romance or nice words, just sex. And if Thorin excelled at something it was sex, and Bilbo wasn’t going to complain. After months of drought, not counting that one time that they got carried away and it was awful, they were back at it and it was amazing!

And it didn’t stop.

Not even when they got back to the campus a day later. They just had to be more creative where and when they could do it so that they won’t get caught. The only rule that they both agreed on was to never say or hint about anything that was happening between them. And they were both enjoying themselves too much to break that rule.

But sadly it was just a matter of time before they would get caught.

A week later Theo was spending the day in daycare since both Bilbo and Thorin had classes the whole day but were free for lunch break. Bilbo was the first of the two in the cafeteria, with Thorin arriving a couple minutes after him. The last thing they expected was to bump into each other.

“What are you doing here, Thorin?” asked Bilbo the moment Thorin walked in, thankfully out of the hearing distance of the others around them.

“I was just going to-“

Thorin pointed to the food, but before he could say something Bilbo slapped his hand, understanding the situation they found themselves in differently. “What do you think you’re doing? What if someone sees?” Bilbo shook his head, trying to get his wits back while Thorin just stood there not knowing what was going on. “What am I saying?” continued Bilbo. “There will be nothing to see. This ends here,” he added firmly and now Thorin finally understood what Bilbo was talking about.

“How about over there?” asked Thorin and pointed to the door.

Bilbo bit his lower lip, trying to decide. “Okay. But hurry.” He took Thorin’s hand and pulled him to the door, hoping that no one would notice them.

:::

It was quick. It had to be quick otherwise someone might see them, and that was the last thing Bilbo wanted. He got dressed as quickly as possible, checked his hair in the mirror, picked up his bag and left, but not before throwing Thorin one of his ‘thank you’ looks. And Thorin just nodded in return.

But as luck would have it, someone had to see. Even though he and Thorin were careful not to be seen together in public and tried to pretend they didn’t know each other, exiting the restroom one after another raised suspicion of someone who knew what they was seeing.

“Bilbo!” Greeted Bofur cheerfully as he caught him and linked his arm through his.

“Bofur! You almost gave me a heart attack,” scolded Bilbo.

“I guess I was the last person you expected to see.”

“You scared me.”

“Why? Because you have something to hide?” asked Bofur as he continued to walk with him even though he didn’t have the slightest idea of where Bilbo was going.

“I have absolutely nothing to hide.”

Bofur sighed before he said, “I saw you,” and Bilbo immediately stopped. “And Thorin,” added Bofur. “I saw you exiting the bathroom with Thorin right behind you looking like a cat that ate the canary.”

“You saw nothing,” said Bilbo slowly and forced a smile.

“It didn’t look like nothing. Bilbo, you of all people know that having any kind of feelings for Thorin is bad. You’ll end up getting hurt, like always.”

“There are no absolutely no feelings between me and Thorin.”

“Starting a relationship with-“

“Oh, for crying out loud, it’s just sex!” Babbled out Bilbo, annoyed that Bofur was being difficult again. He hadn’t planned on telling anyone about it, but since the cat was out of the bag he wasn’t going to deny it.

“Bilbo!”

“It was just a one-time thing… or a five time thing, but that depends on what you’re counting as-“

“I don’t want to know,” groaned Bofur.

“You started it,” snapped back Bilbo.

“I was just trying to warn you-“

“I don’t need anyone looking after me, I know what I’m doing. But thank you for your concern.” And with that he stormed off.

:::

Days slowly blended one into another and after a few weeks Bilbo and Thorin created a perfect routine that consisted of lying, cheating (for both of them), hiding and finding daycare for Theo so that they could have some time for themselves. Things were going better than they both thought possible, until their routine was interrupted.

Bilbo was beyond angry, he was furious when Thorin finally came. “Where were you?” he attacked him the moment he stepped through the door. “I’ve been calling you for over and hour-“

“I know. I saw all your missed calls and texts!”

“And you didn’t think of calling back?! Letting me know with who you were?”

“ _With who I was_?” repeated Thorin. “I do not feel obligated to tell you with who I was or what was I doing,” he snapped back. When he came to Bilbo’s room he was in a very good mood, but Bilbo jealous outburst changed his feelings completely.

“We agreed that you would come here after classes, and I’ve done my part – I took Theo to daycare and took care of everything else we might need. All you had to do was show up, but you couldn’t even do that!”

“I was in the library, studying! In case you’ve forgotten I have a very important exam in a few days and I have to study.”

“You could have said something!”

“I did! I told you at least ten times, but you didn’t listen.”

Bilbo crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Thorin. If this would be a normal fight, with both of them dressed properly Thorin wouldn’t have any problem fighting Bilbo’s charm, but since he knew that Bilbo was bare under the robe that he was wearing, Thorin’s will wavered and he gave into the temptation. They fought before and this fight wasn’t much different from the others, except that there was a reward waiting for him, after all, in a few short weeks the bickered a million times.

He took a step closer, but Bilbo stopped him.

"What?"

"I'm angry."

"I figured," stated Thorin plainly. "What do you want me to do about it?"

The look Bilbo sent him was murderous. "I just want you to appreciate everything I-"

"Are we going to have sex or did I come here so you can lecture me?" interrupted Thorin.

Bilbo frowned. "There's not a romantic bone in your body."

"You called."

"Fine," Bilbo rolled his eyes. "But we have to hurry," he said after he untied his robe and let if pool on the floor, leaving him completely bare in front of Thorin. "I have to pick up Theo in twenty minutes."

Thorin nodded. "I can do that."

"Good. Now hurry," said Bilbo as he helped him remove his clothes.

"Always so bossy," smirked Thorin.

"And you love it."

:::

Bilbo was enjoying himself a little too much to care about the world around them. Two bodies that fit perfectly together, moving in a rhythm they both enjoyed. His toes curling with pleasure and that pressure that was building in his belly just waiting to be released... Yeah, Bilbo completely forgot about the rest of the world.

And about the fact that they didn't lock the door.

It all happened so quickly that Bilbo didn't even know where it began, but he knew that it was going to end badly.

Because the was a quick knock on the door, so quick in fact that neither of them even had the time to register it, before the doors were opening and Adrian walked in. And what was probably the worst was that he had Theo on his hip.

"Hey, look what I found..." started happily Adrian before he realized what was happening. And just like that, his face darkened.

Bilbo shoved Thorin off himself as fast as he could and pulled the covers over his chest, while Thorin fell off the bed, not expecting Bilbo to push him away so hard.

Bilbo's eyes met Adrian's. "I can explain..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hides* ...before you start yelling at me I just want to remind you that you need me alive if you want to find out what happens next.
> 
> Hey!  
> I know it's been long, but a new chapter is finally here. I know I promised that I would finish it sooner, but I just didn't find the time.  
> I want to thank you all who took time and left comments/kudos or just read the story (you're awesome too).  
> Don't expect a new chapter for at least six weeks, but after that I'm free and I'll work hard to get this finished ASAP and I'll fill a few prompts since some of you had asked me to.
> 
> And before I forget!  
> [Cat of Cream](http://catofcream.tumblr.com/) did the first fan-art for The Miracle of Love. It's from chapter 13. You can find it [here](http://catofcream.tumblr.com/post/110973755949/im-not-sure-if-i-understand-your-question). It's the most perfect thing ever! Thank you so much :)
> 
> Next chapter: "Why am I not surprised? I mean, what was I thinking? Trusting you… A mistake I don’t intend to repeat."


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why am I not surprised? I mean, what was I thinking? Trusting you… A mistake I don’t intend to repeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are mine.

 “You can explain?”Adrian asked, but his tone made everyone in the room shiver. It wasn’t going to end well.

“It’s not what it looks like.”

“It’s not what it looks like? Really Bilbo, that’s the best you’ve got?”

Theo, who was still in Adrian’s arms, watched the whole thing without making a sound.

“What do you want me to say?! Thorin came and he just-“

“You know what? I don’t have to listen to this.” He put Theo down and went to the door with Bilbo hurrying after him with only a sheet wrapped around him.

“Please, let me explain…” he pleaded, but Adrian pulled away every time Bilbo tried to reach him.

“Explain what exactly?”

“This isn’t my fault! Thorin, he-“

“He what? Forced himself on you? We’re all adults, let’s stop playing games. We all knew what happened here. And you know what? I’m glad it did, because I got to know the real you. You say Thorin is a horrible person, but don’t think you’re any better than him. At least he has the decency not to lie about it. I really hope you two will be happy together in hell.” He spat the last part and left, closing the door behind him with so much force that Bilbo flinched.

Bilbo let out a sigh as he leaned his forehead against the door. This could have gone better, but it could also be a lot worse. For now he didn’t want or need to think about what would have happened. It was over. A part of him was relieved. Now he and Thorin… It only took him a moment to remember that he completely forgot about the fact that Thorin witnessed the whole thing.

He turned toward him and their eyes met, and the look Thorin sent him made him flinch. Thorin wasn’t even trying to hide his hurt. They stood frozen for almost a minute before Thorin pulled on his shirt. It was the last piece of clothing he had to put on before he would leave – and Bilbo knew he was going to leave. He didn’t even notice Thorin putting on the rest of the clothes.

Thorin grabbed his phone and wanted to leave, but Bilbo blocked his way.

“Thorin, please…”

Thorin refused to meet his eyes. “Get out of my way,” he said lowly.

“Please, just listen to me. Thorin, please, stop.” Bilbo put himself between Thorin and the door, knowing it was the only way he could stop him. He gently took hold of Thorin’s arms and tried to make him change his mind, but Thorin shrugged them away as if Bilbo’s touch has burned him. “Please, let’s talk about it…”

“Just get out of my way!”

“Not until we talk. I know what I said, but I didn’t mean it. Thorin, please, look at me.”

Thorin pulled Bilbo’s hand away the moment it touched his cheek and looked him in the eyes. “Get out of my way,” he hissed at him.

“No! Not until we talk!” Bilbo threw himself at Thorin wrapping his arms tightly around pleading him to stay so they could talk. But Thorin wasn’t bulging and Bilbo was sinking lower and lower until he was on his knees with his arms around Thorin’s legs asking him to stay and fat tears rolling down his cheeks.

Thorin wasn’t buying it. He grabbed his arms and pulled him up. “Stop with the dramatics, will you. The kid already lives in a dysfunctional family, you don’t want him to think this is normal as well. You don’t have the right to make me feel sorry for you. Not this time.”

Bilbo tried to wipe his tears away as fast as he could. “Can’t we talk?”

Thorin shook his head. “No. Not here and especially not right now.”

“Please, you have to understand, I couldn’t-“

“What?” snapped Thorin, “tell him the truth?”

Bilbo quickly sobered up. “You’re not a saint either. The only difference is that you weren’t caught!”

"I have to admit that you are an excellent actor. Why am I not surprised? I mean, what was I thinking? Trusting you… A mistake I don’t intend to repeat!” And with that Thorin finally pushed passed him and left the room, forcefully closing the doors behind him.

Bilbo’s mask fell, there was no need to pretend anymore. He was alone. Again. With the two-year old who kept looking at him with wide eyes.

“Hungry.”

“Argh.” Bilbo fell on the bed and closed his eyes. The day was a disaster.

:::

It was two days later when Bofur found him. He was following Theo around the playground, watching that the two-year-old didn’t accidentally hurt himself, when Bofur joined them. The whole thing was awkward since Bofur just stood there for a couple of minutes, not really knowing what to do. And it irritated Bilbo so much!

“I have a headache,” snapped Bilbo as he caught Theo once again as he came down the slide. And to make things worse, his back was killing him. Theo was getting heavy. He kept an eye on his son as he spoke to Bofur. “If you came here to gloat, I’m warning you – I’m not in the mood.”

Bofur lifted his hands in surrender, not wanting to be intrusive. “I just came to check on you.”

“As you can see I’m perfectly fine.”

“Just fine.”

“Yes, Bofur, just fine!”

“Hey, you don’t need to yell at me. I get it, you don’t want me to be around.”

Bofur turned around and he was about to walk away when Bilbo called him back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t-“

“Yeah, you shouldn’t,” agreed Bofur, and sat down next to Bilbo. “Lately you yell at me every time we see each other.”

Bilbo leaned forward and rested his head in his hands. “It’s not you, it’s-“

“Thorin,” finished Bofur. “I know. Ever since you two slept together, you haven’t been the same.”

“I have a kid if you haven’t noticed. Of course I’m not the same.”

“Even before you had Theo. You started acting differently.”

“That’s low coming from you. You’re not a saint either. We used to be friends and then you changed.”

Bofur was quiet for a moment. “I apologized for lying to you, I apologized for everything, but you still rejected me every time.”

“I can’t be anything more than a friend to you-“

“I never asked you to be anything more than my friend.”

“Bofur…”sighed Bilbo.

“I know, I know. I was in love with you, and you were in love with Thorin. All I wanted was for you to give me a chance… Which turned out to be a disaster.”

“Bofur, you have to understand that I could never return your feelings. You are a dear friend, but-“

“You love Thorin,” finished Bofur. “We both did some stupid things, but we used to be friends. Do you think we could go back to that?”

“Are you going to continue givng me bad advice?” laughed Bilbo.

“What are you talking about? I give excellent advice.”

And suddenly things between them changed, became more relaxed, just like they were when they were just friends. No lies or deceits between them. And Bilbo felt like he could finally talk to someone again.

The moment was broken when Theo came asking for his juice and kept his eyes on Bofur the whole time he was drinking. Once he was finished, he walked away without thanking and Bilbo just rolled his eyes as he watched Theo go.

“Amazing,” said Bofur who was gaping after Theo.

“What is?”

“I know that look. I’ve seen that look. And I don’t like that look,” quickly said Bofur. “He was glaring at me and there is only one more person with that look.”

“I know,” sighed Bilbo. “He’s more difficult with each passing day. He hasn’t seen Thorin in a few days and he thinks that if he throws a fit Thorin will magically present himself.” He shook his head. “He’s used to spending time with Thorin and I know he misses him, but there’s nothing I can do. I haven’t seen in a few days and I don’t think he’ll come near me until he calms down.”

“Well, he’s definitely Thorin’s. There’s no doubt about it. Have you thought about calling him? Ask him to come?”

Bilbo sent him a look. Of course he called Thorin, but as expected Thorin didn’t answer. He could only hope that Thorin will get over their argument soon and come. If not for him, at least for Theo, who was clearly missing him and wanted to spend time with him, or just wanted someone who will do whatever he wanted.

“I will take your silence as a no.”

“No, I did call him,” quickly objected Bilbo. “But we’re not exactly on speaking terms.”

“And Adrian?”

Bilbo groaned. “I don’t know. He was upset and he left. We didn’t really have a chance to talk.”

It was written all over Bofur’s face that he didn’t agree with Bilbo. “How about instead of talking you apologize to them?” Bilbo crossed his arms over his chest and sulked like a child. “You do know it’s your fault, don’t you?”

Bilbo gaped at him. “It’s not only my fault!” he protested. “Thorin-“

“Leave Thorin out of this,” interrupted Bofur. “You used to be fair and just. Lately you blame everyone except you. What if you, just this once, do the right thing and apologize to both?”

“See, this is why I decided to ignore you. You think you’re right, but this time you’re not!”

“You’re acting like a child!”

“I’m acting like a child?” laughed Bilbo. This was absurd. He wasn’t the one to blame!

“Yes, you!” Bofur raised his voice attracting a few stares, Theo’s included. “You toyed with both of them. While Thorin decided to play along, Adrian got hurt for no reason. He really cared for you and Theo, he accepted you both, but you just used him to make Thorin jealous. And Thorin decided to play along with you, knowing it was just a matter of time before it would all blow up in your face and you ended up with him again.”

“And then you blame me, when you just told me Thorin used me,” argued Bilbo.

“You didn’t let me finish. I don’t know what went wrong, but something clearly did since both of them are ignoring you. I know Thorin and I know his tolerance when it comes to your mood swings and judging by his reaction you really pissed him off. I’m telling you this as a friend – you need to apologize to him, and to Adrian as well.”

:::

Bilbo wasn’t going to apologize to Thorin, at least not yet. But as the days went by, he was slowly losing his patience. If a few months ago he was completely fine with taking care of Theo all by himself, that wasn’t the case anymore. His son missed Thorin, and he missed Thorin taking care of Theo. Just for a few hours, it was enough so that he could relax and think about other things. He needed time for himself and he needed it fast.

“Theo, that’s enough!” Bilbo lost his patience when Theo threw his spoon in the soup he prepared for the third time that evening. He used a napkin to wipe his face and his hands. “If you’re finished, you can go.”

Theo studied Bilbo for a moment before lifting his hands up, asking to be let out of the chair. Once on the floor it didn’t take long before he busied himself with his toys.

They didn’t speak much. Bilbo washed the dishes and changed Theo in his pajamas before he put him down for the day and decided to some school work.

But he couldn’t keep his concentration for long because Theo couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t an hour after he was put to bed that Theo was up. He clutched to his toy as he made his way to the table where Bilbo was studying.

Bilbo immediately recognized the look his son was giving him and he lifted him in his arms. Theo didn’t try to fight it anymore and he let the tears fall freely. “I want daddy,” he sobbed in Bilbo shirt.

Bilbo didn’t know what to say. Thorin wasn’t answering his phone, at least not when he was calling so it was clear as a day that he was still upset. But Theo needed him.

“Okay, let’s go find daddy,” Bilbo smiled to his son, hoping to cheer him up.

He had no idea how will he be received. Maybe Thorin will yell at him or just tell him to leave, but he hoped that at least by seeing him Theo will calm down.

He knocked on the doors hoping Thorin would answer, but unfortunately it was one of his roommates.

“Is Thorin in?”

“He’s in his room,” came a curt reply before he was invited in.

Theo immediately pointed to Thorin’s room and Bilbo couldn’t help but to smile at his son’s enthusiasm. He knocked and waited for the invitation to enter.

Thorin was leaning over his book, but the moment Theo called for him, his head snapped up.

“Daddy!” called Theo and reached for him. Bilbo’s and Thorin’s eyes met and by the dark look Thorin was giving him, he knew that he still wasn’t forgiven.

Thorin stood up and took Theo from Bilbo’s arms. “He missed you,” explained Bilbo as their son wrapped his arms around Thorin’s neck, visibly happy that he was once again in his arms. “I tried calling you but you –“

“ – I think you should go,” interrupted Thorin.

“Go?” asked Bilbo confused. “But we just got here.”

“I didn’t say anything about Theodore.”

“Yeah, but I thought – “

“ – He can stay,” said Thorin calmly.

Bilbo tried to hide the hurt as he took a few steps back. “I’ll just come to pick him up –“

“ – No. I’ll come.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in the morning then. If you need anything -,” Bilbo tried to offer.

“ – Goodbye Bilbo.”

The look in Thorin’s eyes told him everything. He nodded and left as quickly as he could, trying to hold back his tear. The moment he was back to his room, he locked the doors, fell on the bed and cried himself to sleep.

:::

As promised, Thorin brought Theo back early next morning. But he was gone as quickly as he came and Bilbo didn’t even have the chance to speak with him.

Thorin apparently decided to ignore him, because in the next few days, whenever he dropped Theo off Bilbo didn’t even see him. He couldn’t even wipe his hands after doing the dishes before Thorin was gone.

If Thorin didn’t want to talk with him, he will force him to talk. He arranged a play date for Theo before he went looking for Thorin. Luckily it didn’t take long to find him. Thorin was so predictable.

“We need to talk,” said Bilbo firmly as sat himself across from him.

“We’re in the library,” reminded him Thorin calmly.

Of course Thorin was in the library. It was the last place Bilbo would think of to go look for him. That’s why he decided to check there first.

Thorin pressed a finger to his lips, gesturing to stay quiet.

“You’re avoiding me,” hissed Bilbo.

“Shhhh,” came from somewhere in the library and Bilbo rolled his eyes.

“We need to talk,” repeated Bilbo, but Thorin just shook his head and focused back on the book. He wasn’t fooling anyone, especially not Bilbo. “I’m not buying it, Thorin,” he said quietly and pulled the book away from him.

“I don’t care what you do or what you think. All I want is to be left alone.” Thorin tried to pull the book back, but Bilbo stopped him.

“I said I was sorry.”

“And I don’t care.”

“Fine. You don’t care. You don’t have to, but you have a son who misses you and yet you ignore him.”

“Hey, you two love birds, take it outside.”

“We’re sorry,” quickly apologized Thorin for both of them. “It won’t happen again.”

“I’m not done talking with you,” angrily whispered Bilbo.

“But I am,” stated Thorin firmly.

“If you refuse to talk to me, I’ll make a scene!” threatened Bilbo with a low voice.

“Fine… We’ll talk!”

“Great, I’ll wait for you outside.”

“Not now. Later. I’ll stop by.”

“You better.”

:::

To Bilbo’s surprise Thorin really did show up just in time for dinner. He half expected that he would have to force him to come. But Thorin did and he was in a surprisingly good mood. He even accepted the invitation to join them for dinner.

“Theo really loves having you here. I’m really happy that you came.”

“You didn’t exactly give me much of a choice,” reminded him Thorin impatiently. “Look, I didn’t come here to play house with you, so whatever you wanted to say to me let’s get it over it. I want to spend some time with Theodore before he falls asleep and I’m guessing he won’t be up for much longer.”

Bilbo frowned. “I didn’t know it was so difficult being in the same room with me.”

“I’d like to keep my distance, if you don’t mind. I got burned enough times as it is.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Bilbo, but Thorin didn’t answer. He kept his eyes on him without saying a word. “Fine, let’s talk about why I called you here! You have a responsibility here, if you have forgotten!”

“Lower your voice,” said Thorin calmly.

“You have a son who needs both of his parents!”

“I’m well aware of that. That’s why I’m here.”

Argh! Thorin could drive Bilbo crazy when he wanted to. Especially when he was being all calm and collected.

“I hate you!”

“Hate is a powerful emotion.”

“I’m glad you find it funny Thorin, because I don’t.”

“You don’t see me laughing.”

“You’re so immature!” Bilbo spat back.

“I’m tired Bilbo and I’m not in the mood. I had enough of your outbursts and mood swings for a life time. I’m tired of you always playing the victim.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Thorin looked at him not knowing if Bilbo was serious or not. “It means that I’m always blamed for everything. You getting pregnant, us breaking up –“

“I never blamed –“ tried to interrupt Bilbo.

“Never, huh? Then please what happened when Adrian walked in on us?”

Bilbo was quiet for a moment, not knowing what to say. “What was I supposed to say? I couldn’t exactly ask him to join us, Theo was there!”

“You could have told him the truth,” spat Thorin back.

“That we were sleeping together behind his back? You really are a genius! What gives you the right to judge me? You’re engaged!”

“Again with this?!”

“Yes, again! You’re engaged and you still slept with me. In my book that’s even worse. You have no right to be angry at me because I was in a relationship. As a matter of fact the only one angry could be me.”

“I explained everything weeks ago, I thought you understood.”

“That you’re marrying for money,” added Bilbo angrily.

“I’m not playing this game anymore,” sighed Thorin. “We tried dating and it didn’t work out. We tried being friends, we tried sleeping together. It’s not working. Maybe some things just aren’t meant to be.”

Bilbo suddenly didn’t like the direction in which the conversation was going. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that we should focus on something we can do – we at least know how to be parents.”

“You’re still angry at me.”

“I need some time alone to clear my head.”

“Okay.”

Thorin nodded in agreement. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to take Theodore. I’ll bring him back for breakfast, as always.”

“He’s your son too,” smiled Bilbo weakly.

Thorin walked over to where Theo busied himself with his toys and lifted the boy in his arms. “I think I’ll go home over the weekend. You’re welcome to join me if you want.”

“I think I will. I haven’t spoken to my parents for weeks,” Bilbo admitted sheepishly.

Thorin sent him a knowing look. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Bilbo pressed a kiss to Theo’s head before he and Thorin left.


End file.
